Plan Review
Maryland Health-General Code Annotated, §21-321, requires that properly prepared plans be submitted and approved before a person constructs a food establishment, remodels or alters a food establishment, or converts or remodels an existing building for use as a food establishment. The Center for Retail Food, Plan, and Process Reviews conducts plan review for all food processing plants and prototypical food service facilities in the State. The Center works concomitantly with the seafood and retail food rating programs and the Office’s Center for Food Processing and Center for Milk Control to provide consistency and quality assurance in all food programs.
Retail
The Center reviews plans for prototypical food service facilities. A prototype is a chain or franchise operation planning to construct two or more facilities in the State from a uniform set of plans. All other food service facility plans are reviewed by the local health departments.
Processing
The Center reviews plans for all processing (wholesale) operations in the State, including on-farm home processing, shellfish plants, crabmeat plants, canneries, food manufacturing plants, frozen food plants, ice manufacturing plants, confectionery plants, food warehouses, soft drink and water bottling plants.