I had food poisoning several years ago. I can tell you there is something I never want to relive. Did you know there are over 250 different organisms that can cause food poisoning? People infected with foodborne organisms may be asymptomatic or may have symptoms ranging from mild intestinal discomfort to vomiting, bloody diarrhea and severe dehydration. Depending on the type of infection, food poisoning may even be fatal. To help reduce my chances of food poisoning, I review restaurants always the health score before dinner.
What is a health score, you ask? Local public health agencies regularly inspect restaurants to ensure they are consistent and follow the procedures for handling food. Local laws regulate the frequency of these inspections take place and what specific items the inspectors look. The main objective for inspectors of environmental health is to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect food against contamination by food handlers, cross contamination, and other sources in the restaurant. Some examples of what inspectors look for include ensuring that employees wash their hands regularly in a sink equipped with soap, hot water and paper towels; utensils and surfaces that contact raw meat are not used to prepare ready-to-eat foods; and that rodents and other pests are not present.
The Ministry of Health has developed an inspection and appraisal system report to implement food security. After carrying out an inspection of a food facility, the health inspector will calculate a score based on the violations they observed. Violations can fall into three categories (information courtesy of the Department of San Francisco Public Health):
- High risk: The violations that directly relate to the transmission of disease foodborne, the. adulteration of food, and contamination of food contact surfaces
- moderate risk :. violations which are of a moderate risk to health and public safety
- low risk violations that are low risk and have no immediate risk to health and public safety
Which category falls into a restaurant is based on a food safety score foods based. observed violations:
> 0 = Good
- Typically that violations of safety and health at low risk observed
- can have high-risk violations
86-0 adequate =
- observed several violations
- may have high-risk violations
71-85 = Needs Improvement
- multiple violations observed
- Typically several violations at high risk
less than or equal to 70 - poor
- multiple violations observed
- Typically several high-risk violations
these reports can be ordered from your local health department, and many local health services now make these reports online so consumers can make informed choices on where to eat. Restaurants and other food establishments are also required to publish their inspection report in a prominent place for the public and clients of the institution.
Is it safe to eat at the restaurant of your choice? Before taking that first bite, it is never a bad idea to take a good look at the health side released
Articles referenced:
"restaurant Inspections In Your area." www.foodsafetynews.com. 22 October 2013.
"food safety program: Safety Scores restaurants." Www.sfdph.org. October 22, 2013
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