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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   How they rate To view summaries of Snohomish Health District restaurant inspections, go to www.snohd.org and click on "Online Restaurant Inspection Reports" at the top of the page. Common problems Top 10 food handling problems found by Snohomish Health District inspectors: 1. Lack of food worker cards Found in 17 percent of inspections. Restaurant employees are required to take a two-hour course on safe handling and preparation of food. 2. Improper hand-washing facilities Found in 16 percent of inspections. Includes not having soap or paper towels in a hand-washing sink near the kitchen area or having pots and pans in the hand-washing sink. 3. Keeping chilled foods at the required temperature Found in 15 percent of inspections. Cooking or storing food at the proper temperature is key to preventing food-borne illness. 4. Food thermometer not provided or not used Found in 9 percent of inspections. Food must be cooked at proper temperatures to prevent the spread of disease or bacteria such as E. coli. 5. Raw meat stored above or next to ready-to-eat foods Found in 6 percent of inspections. Raw meat can potentially contaminate nearby ready-to-eat food. 6. Not keeping hot food at the proper temperature Found in 6 percent of inspections. Hot food must not be kept at temperatures lower than 140 degrees. 7. Toxic substances, such as cleaning solutions, not labeled or not properly stored Found in 6 percent of inspections. Cleaners must not be kept above food or in food-preparation areas. 8. Improper cooling Found in 5 percent of inspections. Foods cooked and refrigerated for later use must be kept at temperatures below 41 degrees. 9. Foods stored at room temperature Found in 4 percent of inspections. Can cause illness if not properly heated or cooled. 10. Bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods Found in 3 percent of inspections. Not allowed because it can spread disease. Source: Snohomish Health District   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, January 5, 2009 Wondering how clean your favorite eatery is? By Sharon Salyer Herald Writer For the first time, the public can view inspection reports online for 3,200 restaurants and workplace and school cafeterias in Snohomish County. The change comes in part from ongoing requests from the public to view the results of regular inspections conducted by Snohomish Health District employees. "We've had some frustrated callers during the last year; I'm glad it's here," said Rick Zahalka, a food and living manager for the public health agency. The inspections are aimed at preventing the spread of food-borne disease outbreaks through steps such as ensuring that food is properly cooked and cooled. The public health agency has been working for the last year to convert the reports from paper forms to computerized records, Zahalka said. Now, the inspection reports can be can be downloaded daily and posted online. Zahalka said he expects the online reports to be popular with the public. And restaurants will know that the public can check up on them online. "The public will become more aware of what constitutes a violation," he said. "Hopefully, they'll expect more from food establishments and get it." Reports for most, but not quite all of the restaurants and school and workplace cafeterias are now available, he said. However, the public should not base opinions of a restaurant's compliance with health standards on a single report, Zahalka said. "A series of inspections will tell a better story," he said. Inspection reports are divided into "red" for high-risk violations and "blue" for low-risk violations. High-risk violations are those which can most quickly cause food-borne illnesses. For example, improperly cooked hamburger can lead to the spread of the E. coli outbreaks which can sicken and, in severe cases, even kill people. Occasional inspections with several "red" violations "does not mean the restaurant is out of control and unsafe," Zahalka said. When violations are found, inspectors work to see the problem is corrected on the spot, if possible, he said. The online reports list the name and address of the restaurant, the date of the inspection, how many violations were found, and a brief explanation of the problem. Switching to computerized record keeping cost about $30,000, plus an ongoing monthly cost of $1,250, he said. How often food establishments are inspected depends on the type of food they serve and the potential risks posed by improper food preparations. For example, espresso stands and shops that sell prepackaged food generally are inspected once a year. Shops that prepare, cook and serve food right away, such as hamburger restaurants, are inspected twice a year. Restaurants and catering businesses that cook food one day and serve it at some future date are inspected three times a year. "The hazard there is time can allow for bacterial growth" if it's not properly prepared, cooked and stored, Zahalka said. Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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