Author: Kailee Curtis

Food Service Sanitation

Foodborne illness outbreaks have the potential to affect large amounts of people, cause illness and distress, and can even be deadly. One critical function of public health is to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks from happening in food service facilities (such as restaurants) serving the public. Local health departments (LHDs) in Michigan provide a variety of services related to food service. BEDHD provides food service establishment evaluation, foodborne illness investigation, and food safety education.

Key Positions
Environmental Health Sanitarians
Environmental Health Secretaries
Environmental Health Supervisor

Combined FTE: 4.83

Services:
Food service sanitarians at BEDHD inspect local food service establishments (such as restaurants) twice per year to ensure that they are meeting the standards set in Michigan’s Food Code. Other local food service operations, such as mobile food vendors, temporary kitchens and special events are inspected as needed. Several BEDHD food service sanitarians teach Food Safety Manager certification courses throughout the year. Finally, food service sanitarians investigate food and restaurant complaints and conduct foodborne illness and outbreak investigations (in partnership with communicable disease nurses and epidemiologists).
Goals:
BEDHD food service sanitation licensing, inspection and regulation aims:
To assess the facility’s control over the most common risk factors for foodborne illness.
To identify restaurant/facility conditions that pose a potential threat to health and ensure their correction.
To reduce the incidence of foodborne illness and outbreaks.
To promote the food safety education of operators and workers.
To rapidly respond to any customer complaints or foodborne incidents/events.

Aligns with BEDHD Strategic Priorities:

Healthy and safe food, water, and air
Protect the community from potential health hazards

Meets Public Health Standards:

ü	Michigan Public Health Code
ü	Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation
ü	Public Health Accreditation Board

Health Improvement Efforts:

	Barry Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan
	Eaton Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan

FY17 Funding Sources for BEDHD Food Service Sanitation:

State Grants

Local Funding

Fees

Impact:
In calendar year 2017, BEDHD sanitarians conducted 904 fixed food establishment inspections and 171
specialty food inspections (e.g.,
temporary, mobile).
Staff conducted 21 foodborne illness investigations, which resulted in 3 illness outbreaks being resolved.