Food inspection and safety

Food Inspection Guide

The City of Houston's Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) SANITARIANS conduct "unannounced" inspections of all food service establishments. Food service establishments include: Fast food restaurants, full service restaurants, grocery stores, convenience store, gas station food stores, retail and wholesale bakeries, donut shops, wholesale food distributors, public and private school cafeterias, day care centers, hospitals cafeterias, bars, lounges, mobile food units, ice cream trucks, stadiums, theme parks concession stands, etc. Each food service establishment is inspected at least once every twelve months and additional inspections are made as necessary based on the public health risks posed by the establishment and the establishment's past compliance history. The SANITARIAN may enter any food establishment at any reasonable time after proper identification. They are also permitted to examine the records pertaining to food and supplies purchased, received or used, or to persons employed.

During the inspections, the SANITARIANS evaluate food handler's practices, how food is received and stored, how food is prepared, processed and served, how is food cooked, held and cooled for future use. The SANITARIANS also check for deficiencies in the physical plant (facilities) and pest (insects and rodents) related violations.

The findings of an inspection are recorded on a form. The inspection report and related documents are "public record" and can be reviewed by anyone. A copy is provided to the operator of the food establishment who is responsible for posting the report upon an inside wall.

The following are HDHHS' current guidelines to identify violations of the Houston Food Ordinance.

SUBSTANTIAL HEALTH VIOLATIONS: These are violations of such a direct and substantial impact to public health that the violation must be immediately corrected or the health officer will require the closure of the food establishment (i.e. no water, sewage back up, pest infestation).

SERIOUS HEALTH VIOLATIONS: These health violations have a direct impact on public health and must be corrected immediately or within 24 hours. Serious items may, as a group, lead to the closure of a food establishment if not corrected (i.e., temperature problems, filthy food contact surfaces).

GENERAL HEALTH VIOLATIONS: These health violations require the attention of the operator in a timely fashion. Though not having an immediate impact on public health, they may lead to or contribute to more serious health violations (i.e., construction violations).

General Health Violations	Serious Health Violations	Substantial Health Violations
POSTED WALL CERTIFICATE OR WALLET CARD OF FOOD SERVICE MANAGER'S CLASS (FSMC) APPROVED PHOTOGRAPHIC I.D.	NO CERTIFIED MANAGER ON DUTY DEMONSTRATION OF KNOWLEDGE *PERSON-IN-CHARGE NOT ON DUTY
*POSTED PERMITS	*NO FROZEN DESSERT PERMIT	NO FOOD DEALER’S PERMIT NO PRODUCE PERMIT (SUBSTANTIAL DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENT-NOT A FOOD SAFETY ISSUE)
ITEM #1 LABELED PACKAGED FOOD SHELLFISH DISPLAY *FISH FREEZING RECORDS, MAINTAINED AND RETAINED	FOOD FROM APPROVED SOURCES FOOD WHOLESOME, NOT ADULTERATED OR MISBRANDED OR EXPIRED RTE-PHF SHELLFISH TAGS-90 DAYS PASTEURIZED EGGS, SUBSTITUTE FOR SHELL EGGS, CERTAIN RECIPES AND POPULATIONS	*LARGE AMOUNTS OF ADULTERATED FOOD: UNABLE TO BE SEPARATED FROM WHOLESOME FOOD
ITEM #2	PROPER INTERNAL TEMPERATURES FOOD PROTECTED FROM CROSS-CONTAMINATION FOOD NOT TIME-MARKED OR DISCARDED AS REQUIRED NO WRITTEN PROCEDURES IN ESTABLISHMENT	EMERGENCY OCCURRENCES: FIRE, POWER OUTAGE, SEWAGE WATER BACK-FLOW, NATURAL DISASTER, OR SIMILAR EVENT. FOOD EXPOSED TO GROSS CONTAMINATION
ITEM #3 FOOD 6" ABOVE FLOOR FOOD 6" FROM WALLS FOOD STORAGE PROHIBITED AREAS THERMOMETERS FROZEN FOODS FROZEN NO CLOTH COVERS *MILK/PRODUCE CRATES	FOOD EXPOSED TO WASTE WATER LINES PACKAGED / UNPACKAGED IN CONTACT WITH WATER / UNDRAINED ICE DATE MARKINGS OF RTE-PHF FOODS FOOD PROTECTED FROM CONTAMINATION/SPLASH TEMPERATURES IN STORAGE COVERED FOOD RAPID COOLING OF FOOD FREEZING OF CERTAIN FISH *PROPER HOLDING FACILITIES
ITEM #4 PROPER USE OF EGG/DAIRY/NON-DAIRY PRODUCTS PRODUCT THERMOMETERS *PROPER THAWING/SLACKING	WASHING OF RAW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THOROUGH COOKING PROPER MICROWAVING PROPER REHEATING RAW SHELLFISH ADVISORY PROPER HANDLING OF CUSTARDS AND CREAM FILLED PASTRIES
ITEM #5 PROPER DISPENSING OF MILK/CONDIMENTS/ICE SUITABLE/PROPER STORAGE OF DISPENSING UTENSILS USING CLEAN TABLEWARE FOR ADDITIONAL FOOD AND REFILLS PROPER FOOD DISPLAY EQUIPMENT *BULK FOOD DISPLAY SIGN POSTED	PROTECTION FROM CONSUMER CONTAMINATION NO REUSE OF FOOD ONCE SERVED PROPER DISPLAY TEMPERATURES AIR GAP-ICE STORAGE BINS BULK FOOD DISPLAY AND SERVICE APPROVED DONATED FOOD PROPERLY LABELED, STORED, TRANSPORTED AND RECEIVED AT PROPER TEMPERATURE
ITEM #6	*FOOD PROTECTED IN TRANSIT
ITEM #7	EMPLOYEES WITH DISEASE COMMUNICABLE THROUGH FOOD DISCHARGES FROM EYES, MOUTH, NOSE RESTRICTED OR EXCLUDED REPORTING OF EMPLOYEES WITH SPECIFIC COMMUNICABLE DISEASES	*EXCLUDED PERSON ALLOWED TO WORK
ITEM #8 CLEAN CLOTHES HAIR RESTRAINTS PERSONAL CLEANLINESS WEARING JEWELRY *NO FINGERNAIL POLISH	HANDWASHING SPECIAL HAND-WASH PROCEDURE FOR RTE FOODS
ITEM #9	NO EATING, DRINKING(EXCEPT WITH APPROVED CONTAINER), SMOKING IN PREP/UTENSIL WASH AREAS HYGIENIC PRACTICES
ITEM #10 APPROVED MATERIALS APPROVED DESIGN ACCESSIBLE AISLES EQUIPMENT MAINTAINED IN GOOD REPAIR APPROVED PLUMBING FIXTURE INSTALLATION SPONGES	SAFE MATERIALS SINGLE-USE GLOVES
ITEM #11 CLEAN NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES WIPING CLOTHES	CLEANED/SANITIZED FOOD CONTACT SURFACES TWO COMPARTMENT SINK
ITEM #12 THREE COMPARTMENT SINK TEST KIT/THERMOMETER	PROPER SANITIZATION (PH, CONCENTRATION, EXPOSURE -- READ LABEL) PROPER CLEANING	NO ABILITY TO SANITIZE NO HOT WATER
ITEM #13 TEST KIT AIR DRYING UTENSILS	PROPER MECHANICAL SANITIZATION AND CLEANING HOT WATER@ DISH LEVEL 160° F	*NO ABILITY TO SANITIZE
ITEM #14 *PROPER STORAGE OF EQUIPMENT UTENSILS, AND SINGLE SERVICE ITEMS: COVERED, INVERTED,6" ABOVE FLOOR	PROTECTION OF SINGLE SERVICE ITEMS FROM GROSS CONTAMINATION SINGLE SERVICE ITEMS USED ONCE
ITEM #15	MAINTAINED ICE MACHINE IN APPROVED AREA	*NO WATER[HOT 110° F OR COLD) TO ESTABLISHMENT
ITEM #16	*WASTE WATER NOT PROPERLY DISPOSED	*WASTE WATER BACKUP
ITEM #17 *PLUMBING MAINTAINED	CROSS CONNECTIONS BACK SIPHONAGE *BACKFLOW PREVENTION
ITEM #18 TOILET ROOMS CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR SELF-CLOSING DOORS TOILET PAPER COVERED WASTE RECEPTACLE *HANDWASHING SIGN		*NO WORKING RESTROOM
ITEM #19 HAND LAVATORIES: CLEAN, GOOD REPAIR, SOAP, HAND DRYING DEVICE OR PAPER TOWELS, HOT(110° F) AND COLD RUNNING WATER ACCESSIBLE	*NO HOT WATER IF THERE IS ONLY ONE LAVATORY IN THE FOOD PREP. AREA	*NO HAND LAVATORY OF ANY SORT WITHIN THE ESTABLISHMENT
ITEM #20 DUMPSTER AREA CLEAN, COVERED, ON APPROVED SURFACE DRAIN PLUG IN PLACE *NO NUISANCES
ITEM #21 PESTS TO EXTERIOR INSECT CONTROL DEVICES DESIGNED AND PROPERLY INSTALLED	PESTS TO INTERIOR, NOT CONTAMINATING FOOD STRUCTURE INSECT/RODENT PROOFED	*PEST TO INTERIOR WITH TANGIBLE POTENTIAL FOR CONTAMINATING FOOD.
ITEM #22 FLOORS: CLEAN , GOOD REPAIR, COVING NO EXPOSED UTILITY LINES APPROVED DUCKBOARDS NO CARPETING
ITEM #23 WALLS AND CEILINGS: CLEAN WALL PROTECTION BEHIND/ADJACENT TO COOKING EQUIP/PLUMBING FIXTURES GOOD REPAIR ATTACHMENTS NO EXPOSED LINES UTILITY SINK	*NO CEILING OVER FOOD PREP/UTENSIL-WASHING AREA
ITEM #24 *LIGHTING: ADEQUATE SHIELDED
ITEM #25 VENTILATION: ADEQUATE CLEAN FILTERS INSTALLED FILTERS WHEN NEEDED COMMERCIAL DISH MACHINE WITH *HOT WATER AS SANITIZER
ITEM #26 DRESSING ROOMS AND LOCKERS: CLEAN, PROPERLY LOCATED
ITEM #27	TOXIC MATERIALS: APPROVED LABEL, STORAGE, AND USE *REUSE OF TOXIC MATERIAL CONTAINER/EMPTY FOOD CONTAINER	*MISUSE OF POISONOUS, OR TOXIC MATERIALS(EXTENSIVE FOOD CONTAMINATION)
ITEM #28 TRAFFIC OF UNNECESSARY PEOPLE LAUNDRY FACILITIES EXTERIOR CLEAN APPROVED ANIMALS DRIVING SURFACES NO LIVING AREAS *DELIVERY/MAINTENANCE PERSONS SHALL COMPLY WITH ORDINANCE
*HEIMLICH POSTER
*SULFITE WARNING
*FSMC SIGN REQUIRED
*SANITATION POSTER
*POSTED INSPECTION
	*REMODELING WITHOUT PLANS	*REMODELING WITHOUT PLANS IN A FASHION WHERE FOOD MAY BE CONTAMINATED

For further information, please call the Bureau of Consumer Health Services at 713-794-9200.

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Contact the HDHHS Bureau of Consumer Health Services