Food inspection and safety

Conduct unannounced inspections of Houston's 12,000+ food establishments, including restaurants, retail food stores, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, caterers, commercial food processors and warehouses to determine compliance with laws regulating food and food safety. Using a checklist, health officers monitor the safety of food supplies and food handling practices and evaluate the cleanliness of premises, both inside and outside. Establishments in compliance with City Food Ordinance requirements are issued an annual Food Dealer's Permit.

Investigate citizen complaints regarding food establishment sanitation within 24/72 hours of receipt. Gives priority response to both citizen complaints of food borne illness and complaints concerning substantial hazards to the public health. To register a complaint, please call [713] 794-9200.

Inspect mobile food units, including ice cream trucks, restricted and unrestricted catering trucks, and park vending units (push carts). All mobile food units, except restricted operation mobile units, must operate from permitted and centrally located commissaries. After an inspection reveals satisfactory compliance with the Food Ordinance, the mobile unit is issued an annual medallion, which is placed on the unit in conspicuous view of the public. For information on mobile food units, please call [713] 794-9200.

Review plans and specifications for new and remodeled food establishments. The health officer approves two (2) sets of properly prepared plans and specifications for each construction; remodeling or alterations before such changes are begun. Prior to beginning operations, the health officer inspects the food establishment to determine compliance with the approved plans and specifications. For more information on plan review, please call [713] 535-7772.

Monitor food pantries' operations and food service operations of homeless shelters. The health officer maintains a working relationship with the Food Bank to ensure that all food operations that receive food have a valid permit from the Department. Also, the health officer permits and inspects pantries and shelters that prepare food on premises, and investigate and resolve citizen complaints against these food establishments.

Perform sanitation inspections of food booths operating up to 21 consecutive days at a single event or celebration, such as a fair, carnival or festival. Meets with proposed operators prior to the event or celebration to determine the source of foods, to restrict the types of foods to be handled and served to the public, and to obtain a property owner's agreement for the proper disposal and removal of all rubbish, trash and garbage during the event. Issues temporary food service permits to food booths complying with Food Ordinance requirements upon inspection of the booths. Conduct daily inspections of the booths for the duration of the event. Please call [713] 794-9200.

In cases of suspected or confirmed food borne illness outbreaks at food establishments, the health officer will coordinate efforts to investigate the outbreak with Epidemiology, the laboratory and physicians to determine its cause at the food establishment, and to take action to prevent further outbreaks from recurring. The health officer may perform a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) inspection at the food establishment to ascertain which steps in the receipt, storage, preparation and service of a particular food placed that specific food at risk. The operator of the establishment will then be given a list of monitoring procedures to reduce risk or minimize the opportunity for occurrence of future food borne illness outbreaks.

The entire Bureau's staff is available and on 24-hour call during natural or man made disasters to ensure protection of the food supply. Health officers also inspect fire-damaged establishments after fires.

Take samples of frozen desserts, food and drinking water for laboratory analysis to ensure the safety of these food items. The health officer obtains frozen dessert samples from frozen dessert machines such as yogurt or shake machines. Collect water samples from food establishments with private water wells and submits these samples for laboratory analysis annually. If frozen dessert samples fail the established test standards, then the health officer will quarantine the machine until we obtain a safe sample. If water wells do not conform to established test standards, then they are treated/resampled by the health officer until test results indicate the water is safe for public use. The health officer may also take samples of foods, which may be contaminated or detrimental to public health, or not in compliance with established standards or laws for food products.

Provide a Food Service Manager's Certification (FSMC) program taught in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. A certified food manager is required in each food preparation area of a food establishment at all times. Managers are trained and certified by means of a written examination in an initial 15-hour FSMC course. Those who pass the examination will receive an I.D. and certificate valid for three years. The cost for taking this course is $45 per person. A person who takes the FSMC course within 30 days following the expiration date of the certificate is eligible to take the 7-hour FSMC renewal course. The cost for the renewal course is $30. For more information about Food Service Manager Training, click here.

FOOD HANDLERS TRAINING:

Offer a 2-hour Food Handler training program, in which the certified manager trains food handlers in their own establishment using Health Department criteria and guidelines. After the training session(s), the health officer will give employees both a written test and a demonstration test to ensure their knowledge of food safety. Food handlers who pass the examination will receive free food handler cards.

Establishments which have more than 80% of their food handlers trained and can demonstrate an ability to maintain excellence in sanitation over a period of three (3) consecutive inspections are eligible for recognition by the Department in the Quality Achievement Program. For information on food handling, please call [713] 794-9200.

Provide speakers for community and civic groups regarding topics on food safety, food inspection policies and procedures. Staff members also plan, prepare and deliver free presentations promoting safe food handling at home and public awareness of health requirements in food establishments.

Provide on-site training for food establishment employees. An instructor will visit the establishment or other convenient location and give a training session in basic sanitation and food handling methods. The cost for participating is $10 per employee. For information regarding on-site training, please call [713] 794-9200.