1/10/2007 12:12:00 AM
Restaurant inspections available to public
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By ED GEBERT
Times Bulletin news writer
egebert@timesbulletin.com
VAN WERT COUNTY - Is that sandwich safe to eat? What about the soup or the ice cream? How do we know that the food served in Van Wert County is safe?
Every place that serves food must be inspected by the Van Wert County Health Department. The inspector is Britt Menchhofer.
"I do all the restaurant inspections in Van Wert County. That is my main responsibility," she stated.
Throughout the county, most every business selling food gets inspected. A few places, like gas stations without any exposed food, are inspected just once a year, but most everywhere else workers see Menchhofer stop in at least twice a year to make sure everything is being done according to health regulations.
In all, there are approximately 130 licensed facilities in Van Wert County which must be inspected. Add to that a long list of temporary food vendors who sell food for the fair, or the Peony Festival or other special event in the county.
"In 2006, we licensed another 104 temporary vendors on top of the 130 or so permanent facilities," Menchhofer said.
That adds up to a whole lot of inspecting.
For vendors at the fair or local festivals, a $40 temporary food service operation license is required.
"That is basically for education, Menchhofer explained. "It covers the time spent educating the person or group, as well as time spent in conducting an inspection."
Some of the basic needs for temporary vendors are having some means for hand washing with running water or water from a spigot of some kind, proper holding equipment for hot or cold foods, and thermometers to check food and storage temperatures.
For vendors who do a lot of events in the county, an annual license is available. Menchhofer noted, "We do license mobile facilities on that basis, so they don't have to keep going through the process. Folks like the Venedocia Lions Club get an annual license. Of course the requirements for mobile facilities are stricter than for a temporary."
Permanent food service locations like restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations are classified on four different risk levels, based on the amount and type of food is served. A full-service restaurant would be a level four, while a gas station with only a couple of coolers would be a level one. Here the inspection is fairly simple, checking to be sure that food containers are not damaged and that the coolers are operating properly.
Most of the facilities in Van Wert County are level three or four. According to Menchhofer, these inspections usually take from 90-120 minutes to complete, with special attention being paid to food temperatures, general sanitation, proper cooking conditions and storage practices. "We watch the employees to make sure they practice food safety, and we check the food to see if it is coming from approved sources," she stated.
Problems and violations are explained to employees while the inspection is going on, and a written report is provided at the end of the inspection to help both establishment and employees learn how to correct the problems.
All of the restaurant inspection records at the Van Wert County Health Department are available to the public. Menchhofer said, "Anybody is allowed to come in and take a look whenever we're open, although it is helpful to call ahead of time."
Besides inspections, Menchhofer also compiles an annual food safety newsletter, and often hands out educational materials. She has held two classes about food safety, and is hoping to be able to conduct another in the near future.
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