Your letter of June 16, 19976, to Mr. Jim Griffith, Acting Director, Arizona Department of Health Services, has been referred to my office for reply.

In your letter, you inquire if there are any Arizona health laws or regulations that require customers in supermarkets or restaurants to wear shoes or other type of footwear. Arizona Administrative Codes on food service sanitation are based upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 1976 Model Food Service Sanitation Ordinance. There are no statutory requirements in the Arizona food codes that require shoes to be worn by customers in supermarkets, restaurants, or other types of establishments where food is served. There are specific requirements, however, for employees who prepare food in food service establishments. The employees must wear clean outer garments and use effective hair restraints. Employee footwear is not specifically addressed as a food service sanitation issue, but is usually addressed an an employee physical safety issue.

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 602-230-5830.

Sincerely,

LAB:wms

cc: Normal J. Peterson