‘Our goal is to protect the public’: Central Texas food safety inspectors explain how they grade local restaurants

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Have you ever wondered what is in a retail food inspection report and how food safety inspections are conducted?

KWTX recently sat down with food safety inspectors from Central Texas health departments to learn more about the most common misconception about local reports: the score.

“We really want to make sure that everything has been being done correctly. So, we’re looking at temperatures, refrigeration. We’re looking at food safety training. We’re looking at labeling. We’re even looking at the structure,” said Teresa Wills, with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health Department.

Most local health departments inspect businesses that sell food to the public at least once a year.

The restaurants are graded with a score and receive guidance about what needs to be corrected.

Unlike getting a grade in school, a high score on a food inspection report doesn’t always mean you’ve passed the test on a scale of one to 100, especially, if your restaurant also received certain demerit points.

That’s why a restaurant with a score in the 90s could still potentially receive a failing grade on its inspection.

“You can actually fail an inspection with 2 points. So, a perfect example of that would be lack of hot water. So, lack of hot water or any water is an imminent health hazard and that is 2 points on the inspection report. But that’s grounds for closure,” said Willis.

Basically, it’s not always how many demerits you get. It’s what constitutes an imminent health hazard.

Depending on the seriousness of the situation, officials say, immediate corrective measures should be taken and a reinspection conducted within a week.

The State of Texas has adopted the 2017 Food and Drug Administration Food Code.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the inspection reports rate violations in three categories.

Level One: Priority

It’s the most serious violation which can lead to illness.

For example, inadequate refrigeration or rodent infestation could close a business temporarily.

Level Two: Priority Foundation

These are violations that can add up to serious problems.

For instance, deep cuts or grooves in a cutting board could be a breeding ground for bacteria, which could then contaminate food.

Level Three: Core.

This is the least serious.

For example, it could be something like missing floor tiles or utensils not stored properly.

Given all of this, the inspectors use their best judgment to determine if the violations are isolated incidents or repeat problems.

Food safety is at the core of the Culinary Arts at Texas State Technical College in Waco.

Food Safety and Sanitation Instructor Martha Rivera told KWTX students must pass this course during their first semester before being able to even move on to work in the kitchen.

“I try to enlist to them that this is a very important course and you have to take it very seriously because eventually you could make someone ill,” she said.

Rivera mentioned students in the program will earn a food protection manager’s certification, which is highly important for businesses to properly train their food handlers and run a clean kitchen.

With that certification, students could go out and start their own business or be qualified to work in someone else’s restaurant.

Which is plus, since local food safety inspectors report finding more common violations possibly due to food handlers who are not certified and food safety managers not on duty.

Jennifer Holley from the Bell County Public Health District said a shift in the workforce could be to blame.

“When you’re looking at restaurants, those were, historically, a base job coming out of high school. And those kids are no longer looking for those job,” Holley said, “They’re looking for (business owners) to either ‘give me that paycheck or let me go - or I want a higher end job.’ So, we are seeing a lot of turnover.”

Stir into the mix the lack of thermometers in the coolers and refrigerators, employees not wearing gloves or washing their hands properly, and not wearing hair and beard restraints. These are other common food safety violations.

When you look at a food inspection report, no matter the county, officials explain that the code is meant for every establishment serving food to the public to insure it is safe.

“I think the biggest myth out there is that we are here to shut places down,” Holley said, “That is not our goal. Our goal is, yes, to protect the public. But shutting down is a last resort.”

Health inspectors say they work with businesses to educate them on how to prevent problems and how to correct them if they should arise.

A healthy business supports a healthy community, they say.

Central Texas health departments want the public to know they take community concerns very seriously.

You can contact the department in your area to learn more about food safety, to report a problem, you can even follow their social media accounts for the latest on recalls and other helpful information.

McLennan County

https://www.instagram.com/wacohealthdistrict/

https://www.facebook.com/wacohealthdistrict

https://twitter.com/wacohealthdept/

Bell County

https://www.instagram.com/bellphd

https://www.facebook.com/BellPublicHealth/

https://twitter.com/BellCountyPUBH

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