How Columbus restaurants are inspected — and the most frequent violations
Restaurant food inspections are a cornerstone of public health in Columbus, and officials try to make the process consistent, transparent and educational.
Danielle Saunders, Columbus environmental health manager for the West Central Health District in the Georgia Department of Public Health, told the Ledger-Enquirer every inspection prioritizes oversight and support for local food service establishments.
Saunders gave insight into the food inspection process. Here are the main takeaways:
How do food inspections work at Columbus restaurants?
Food inspection schedules are not a one-size-fits-all.
Saunders said the frequency of inspections depends on a restaurant’s “risk factor,” which is organized by three types. Risk Type 1 restaurants don’t have a cooking process; they are reheating already cooked food. Risk Type 2 restaurants have a cooking process. Risk Type 3 restaurants require a hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plan, which has to be revised once a year.
Risk Type 2 facilities are the most common in Columbus.
“Risk Type 1 gets inspected once per year, a Risk Type 2 facility gets inspected two times a year, and a Risk Type 3 gets inspected three times a year,” Saunders said.
When an inspector arrives at a restaurant, the process is straightforward but carefully structured. There are two parts. The first part focuses on foodborne illness prevention, such as temperature control, employee health and proper documentation. The second part is about good retail practices, including general cleanliness, labeling and equipment upkeep.
Saunders emphasized a key component of inspections is ongoing education for new and experienced food service operators. She explained that every new facility is required to have a certified food safety manager present during all operating hours. She also said her team takes time during initial inspections to break down requirements and expectations.
“A lot of the success we’ve had with our facilities comes from the fact that we educate rather than regulate, so people are more receptive to that,” Saunders said. “When [restaurant staff] see us, they are more forthcoming with questions and concerns that they have.”
The duration of the inspection is mainly determined by the facility’s size. Saunders said inspections can be as short as 45 minutes or as long as four hours.
“It depends on what is unveiled to us during the inspection,” Saunders said.
Frequent violations in Columbus restaurants
Saunders shared her department’s most recent food inspection audit with the Ledger-Enquirer. The audit showed the violations that Columbus restaurants most frequently receive.
The most common violation is food-contact surfaces, such as counters, not being properly cleaned and sanitized. Columbus facilities have committed 389 of these violations within the past year, according to the audit.
Other frequent violations are a lack of proper cold-holding temperatures, improperly covered food and not having a certified food protection manager on site.
Inspection results have a grading system modeled after academic grades: An A represents scores of 90 and above, a B is 80-89, a C 70-79, and anything under 70 is deemed unsatisfactory. Scoring a C and below requires a reinspection.
“If a facility scores a C, we do a reinspection of that facility within 30 days to make sure that any of those violations have been corrected,” Saunders said. “If a facility has received an unsatisfactory [score], we are to go back within 10 calendar days of that inspection date to reinspect them.”
Ultimately, Saunders said, the primary intention of inspections is educational. Inspectors want restaurant staff to understand not only what is required but why. Throughout the process, staff are encouraged to ask questions and to treat the inspection as a learning opportunity.