EDITORIAL: State should require restaurants to post inspection results

Tribune-Democrat - 7/30/2017

July 30--Food safety inspectors logged 79 incidents in Cambria County in June, and 64 more in Somerset County.

Were you aware of them?

Most of the incidents were minor -- one local restaurant was categorized as "out of compliance" -- but we support the effort to keep consumers safe in eateries and stores that sell or process food, and believe consumers should have every opportunity to be alerted when a food center has been written up by the state.

There is no easy way for those consumers to find out what inspectors may have found. Restaurants and stores are not required to post their food safety histories, although the state Department of Agriculture provides a searchable database of inspections.

We call on the state Legislature to adopt a policy that would require restaurants to post inspection information prominently, at least when a compliance issue arises.

And we urge the state to move toward a more consistent inspection system that involves timely postings of findings -- whether the reviews are done by local inspectors or those employed by the state. Currently, local inspectors are not required to load their findings into the statewide database.

The Tribune-Democrat will begin publishing the past month's listings of restaurants found to be "out of compliance" to inform consumers.

Individuals entering a food establishment can ask the management to see any recent inspection reports.

Consumers also have the right to alert authorities when they believe unsanitary conditions exist. Complaints about food safety can be made online at: www.pda.pa.gov/FoodSafetyComplaint/.

Most restaurant owners we've encountered are conscientious. And even the tidiest merchant can have a problem when an unannounced inspection occurs. State officials say each inspection represents "a snapshot in time" that may or may not reflect the consistent conditions of an establishment.

And, state officials say, many violations are corrected on-site before inspectors leave.

Still, this is information consumers have a right to know.

Here's a sampling of local violations from the past two months:

--"Certified Food Manager certificate ... has expired and is no longer valid."

--"Observed storing clean food equipment (bus pans) while wet, and not allowing time for draining and/or air-drying."

--"Cooler is lacking an ambient thermometer for monitoring the temperature of the unit."

--"Milk for sale that had passed its sell-by date."

In one instance, a store had outdated baby formula on its shelves.

The "out of compliance" restaurant listing was the result of a customer's complaint. Inspectors visited the site on June 29 and reported finding:

--"Two dead roaches around the mop sink in the equipment wash area and four dead roaches in the basement area by the furnace area."

--"Unused pieces of equipment, construction material and cardboard stored in the basement area" plus "cove molding in the kitchen area was pulled away from the wall, filled with old food" and "a heavy grease build up on the floors and walls behind the grill line, two-door, reach-in freezer and dishwasher area." Inspectors reported: "This could be a food source for pests."

Any organization or event where food is handled can experience inspections. That includes clubs, churches, community centers and festivals.

At Thunder in the Valley, an inspector noted a vendor who had "bottled beverages being stored in ice with lids submerged in the ice" -- a violation.

Last year, food inspectors cited Pennsylvania establishments more than 1,700 times for violations, as our Harrisburg correspondent John Finnerty reported.

And most of the time, you didn't even know about the ones in your town or neighborhood, the places you frequent.

The state should do more to keep people informed about food safety.

Let's start by requiring that establishments post the results of their inspections.

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