Health Inspector's Favorite Eats: Top 10 Things Inspectors Look For When Choosing a Restaurant Food Safety Tips from Cambro

1. Health Inspector’s
Favorite Eats
The Top 10 Things Health Inspectors Look for
When Choosing A Restaurant

2. 1.Clean Restrooms
“I always visit the restroom to wash my hands before eating. If there is no soap, hot water or
paper towels in the restroom, that’s a deal breaker for me.”

3. 2. Proper Food Temperatures
Improper temperatures are one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses; they provide
bacteria the ideal conditions for rapid growth, compromising food safety.

4. 3. ServSafe or Official Food Safety
Training Certification visible upon entry.
“The first thing I look for is a Food Manager certificate from an FDA-approved training
organization somewhere in the lobby area.”

5. 4. Freshness of Food
What happens too often is foodservice operators are not rotating their food properly or not
storing it in properly sealed containers.

6. 5. Cleaning Products stored away from Food
If food is stored near chemicals or cleaning supplies, contamination can occur and someone can
become very ill.

7. 6. FDA Approved
Food Storage
Containers
When using non-food grade plastics
to store foods, highly acidic foods like
tomatoes or fats may leech plastic
additives from the packaging or
container into the food.

8. 7. Clean Restaurant, Floors and
Walls (outside premises)
“When it comes to eating in the same city I inspect, my decision is based on cleanliness. If the
restaurant looks dirty, disorganized or smells unsanitary, I assume the kitchen is in a similar
condition.”

9. 8. Hand Washing Stations
Health inspectors want to see that employees are washing their hands after handling dirty
dishes, utensils, money and before handling food and drinks.

10. 9. Condiment Stations
“ Certain condiments can’t be held at room temperature. For things like toppings, or condiment
service in the summer heat, properly insulated condiment stations or insulated containers with
lids should be used.”

11. 10. Clean Utensils
Clean utensils ranked as important as restaurant cleanliness. “I want to know that my dishes,
glasses and silverware are clean. I am eating the food off of those plates and with that fork.”

12. For more information of food safety, visit www.cambro.com/storesafe
For more information on Cambro products and solutions for
foodservice operators, visit www.cambro.com