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| Food safety begins with proper hygiene practices. |
The food safety program works to protect the public from exposure to disease from foodborne illnesses through regulation of food service establishments and education of food handlers. Clark County has approximately 1,650 food service facilities including school cafeterias, restaurants, coffee shops, delis, taverns, and grocery stores. Food safety specialists conducted routine inspections for each facility from one to three times per year depending on menu complexity. All employees who handle food are required to obtain a food worker card by passing a test on handling food safely. In 2007 the Food Safety Program:
- Conducted more than 4,000 routine, follow-up, and temporary-event food safety inspections.
- Completed 282 new and remodeled food facility plan reviews.
- Responded to 378 food related complaints from the public.
- Conducted 86 foodborne illness complaint investigations.
- Issued more than 13,000 food worker cards.
- Continued partnership with WSU Extension to provide Person-In-Charge Training.
- Partnered with Washington State Department of Health to provide Risk Based Inspection Training for Clark County Food Safety Staff.
- Continued quarterly meetings with the Food Safety Advisory Committee.
