Michelle Bridgestock, a student at Abilene’s Holland Medical High School, recently released the results of a medical research project she conducted as part of an independent study course. Ms. Bridgestock tested menus at 12 local Abilene restaurants for the presence of bacteria. Most menus tested positive for bacteria commonly found in soil, and of the
Seattle’s most-cited restaurants
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer published a story on the Seattle restaurants most-cited for critical (red) violations during health inspections. P-I reporter Daniel Lanthrop interviewed Gary Kickbusch from Public Health — Seattle & King County, who described the difference in critical violations and other violations, known as "blue" for the story.
"We focus on ‘red critical’
Seattle’s most-cited restaurants
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer published a story on the Seattle restaurants most-cited for critical (red) violations during health inspections. P-I reporter Daniel Lanthrop interviewed Gary Kickbusch from Public Health — Seattle & King County, who described the difference in critical violations and other violations, known as "blue" for the story.
"We focus on ‘red critical’
Food inspectors needed in Iowa
An article from the Des Moines Register quoted business owners and state health officials who are at odds over how restaurant and other food service establishment inspections should be paid for.
Iowa restaurants and grocery stores are, according to this story, being inspected about half as often as the law requires, and food inspectors are
Restaurant is closed after health probe
From the pages of this morning’s Baltimore Sun:
A Chuck E. Cheese’s restaurant in eastern Baltimore County, where members of a family say they dined Saturday before becoming ill, was closed yesterday by county restaurant inspectors.
A Chuck E. Cheese’s restaurant in eastern Baltimore County, where members of a family say they dined Saturday before becoming ill, was closed yesterday by county restaurant inspectors.
The inspectors were following up on a report that three children and a woman were hospitalized Sunday after dining
Is the meal you’re buying safe to eat?
The Georgetown Independent (Ontario) reports that using provincial criteria, all food premises in Halton are ranked high, medium or low riskdepending on the type of food provided and to whom the food is served. The number of times each year that a food premise is inspected depends on its ranking. All food premises in Halton are inspected at least once per year, but some are inspected more frequently.
Public health inspectors’ visits to food premises are unannounced. During inspections, public health inspectors monitor and evaluate how staff handle, prepare, and servefood to ensure they use safe food handling practices and follow basic sanitation rules.Continue Reading Is the meal you’re buying safe to eat?
Eating Out This Weekend? You Need to Read This
Steve Burger of 14 WFIE reports that there are about 950 retail food establishments in Vanderburgh County, with more being added almost weekly.
All that’s standing between you and the potential food borne illnesses possible at any of those restaurants, convenience stores and supermarket delis are three inspectors and one supervisor in the Food Section of the Vanderburgh County Health Department’s Environmental Division.
The workload for each of those inspectors is approximately one third higher than federal recommendations.
Some viruses that can cause food borne illness are so contagious that as few as ten particles can spread the disease.Continue Reading Eating Out This Weekend? You Need to Read This
Tom Ferrick Jr. | Code of the city: It’s easy to break
Tom Ferrick Jr., Inquirer Columnist
Into each life some mouse droppings must fall, but must they fall into your soup? I think not.
That’s why we have sanitation codes and public inspection of restaurants and other places that prepare food, such as your neighborhood Wawa and deli.
It’s not just because rodent droppings and roach legs are icky. It is to prevent the outbreak of food-borne diseases that – if you’ll excuse the expression – plagued previous generations: listeria, E. coli, salmonella, etc. People can die from that stuff.
But in Philadelphia, we are lackadaisical when it comes to inspections.Continue Reading Tom Ferrick Jr. | Code of the city: It’s easy to break
City restaurant inspections faulted
John Sullivan and Alletta Emeno of the Philadelphia Inquirer (PA) report that every one of the nation’s 10 largest cities inspects restaurants for health violations at least once a year and usually more often – except Philadelphia.
Almost all have laws requiring a minimum number of inspections, some as often as four times per year. Philadelphia does not.
The result: The city inspects food establishments once every 15.4 months on average, compared with the minimum three visits a year recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Continue Reading City restaurant inspections faulted
Inspections keep watch on eateries: State, local efforts work with establishments on standards
Jennifer Thomas of the Centre Daily Times reports that Kevin Kassab has visited every restaurant in State College and neighboring Patton and Ferguson Townships.
And, yes, there are hundreds.
But Kassab is not visiting the restaurants to check out the menus. A health technician for State College, he’s there to safeguard against food-borne illnesses by examining each restaurant’s inner workings, such as food temperatures and personal hygiene.Continue Reading Inspections keep watch on eateries: State, local efforts work with establishments on standards