Health unit updates food inspections disclosure site

The Sudbury and District Health Unit has updated its online food safety inspection results disclosure system and has introduced a decal program for food premise owners to coincide with that launch.

The food safety inspection results system is called Check Before You Eat!, and provides information on the latest inspection results in Sudbury and the surrounding district, and identifies closures and convictions.

The health unit has provided owners and operators of food premises with a Check Before You Eat! Decal that includes the Health Unit’s web address and telephone number and a QR code for mobile devices.

While posting the decal is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged that owners and operators post this decal at the front entry way of their food premises for the benefit of the customer.

“Check Before You Eat! is designed to increase public accessibility and awareness by displaying food safety information in a quick and convenient format,” said Cynthia Peacock-Rocca, a manager with the health unit's environmental health division, in a press release.

In 2014 local health inspectors conducted 3,394 inspections and re-inspections at around 1,600 food establishments.

In that year they issued six charges and an additional six closure orders for contraventions against the Food Premises Regulation.

The purpose of routine inspections is to verify that safe food-handling practices are being followed and that any risk of food-borne illness is identified and prevented.