The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Food Code interpretation on whether the FDA Food Code prohibits the use of liquid nitrogen and dry ice in the preparation or service of food in retail and food service establishments. View the Food Code Interpretation on Liquid Nitrogen and Dry Ice.

This interpretation will also be made available soon in the Food Code Reference System, which is a searchable online database that provides access to FDA’s interpretative positions and responses to questions related to the FDA Food Code. The System is a resource for stakeholders from federal agencies, state, local, territorial and tribal jurisdictions, consumers, academia, and industry interested in preventing foodborne illness and injury in retail food, vending and foodservice operations. Federal, state, local, and tribal jurisdictions will benefit from this database as they promote compliance with food safety requirements throughout the United States.

Users of the Food Code Reference System can log in and search the online database using dropdown menus, keywords, date fields, or a combination of these options. Users can also retrieve, view, and save documents to a local computer system. FDA’s current thinking is reflected in the responses, even when a record in the system refers to an earlier edition of the Food Code rather than to the most recent Food Code edition.