The Food Program visits approximately 2,000 retail food facilities to ensure safe food handling practices, proper sanitation and compliance with California Health and Safety Code within the county. Routine, unannounced inspections and complaint investigations are conducted by Environmental Health (EH) to verify compliance with applicable regulations. Retail food facilities include restaurants, markets, schools, food trucks and carts, food booths at special events, vending machines, catering operations, and more.
Food Safety
Food safety is an important part of public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there are about 48 million people affected by foodborne illnesses each year, of which 3,000 result in death. According to the CDC, the TOP 5 foodborne illness risk factors are:
- Improper Holding Temperatures
- Improper Cooking Temperatures
- Dirty or Contaminated Utensils and Equipment
- Poor Employee Health and Hygiene
- Food from Unsafe Sources