Environmental Programs - Food Service Operations / Retail Food Service Establishments
All entities that serve food for a fee are required by law to be licensed by the local health department per the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code (Ohio Administrative Code 3717) http://www.odh.ohio.gov/rules/final/f3717-1.aspx. Licenses are valid from March 1 to February 28(29).
The purpose of the food safety program is to reduce the risk of a food borne illness outbreak through inspecting and licensing while providing educational services to all food handlers and the general public. Food inspections are unannounced (not scheduled) except for the initial inspections conducted when opening a new/remodeled facility.
The Environmental Health and the Nursing Division of the health department jointly conduct investigations of all food borne illnesses.
Any food facility that is either new or being remodeled must submit plans to the health department prior to any construction for review, approval, and inspection.
The food safety program consists of licensing and inspecting:
- Food Service Operations (FSO) – restaurants, cafeterias (food is handled and prepared)
- Retail Food Establishments (RFE) – grocery stores, gas stations (foods are primarily already prepackaged)
- Food Vending Machines – machines that dispense coffee or foods that must be held at a proper temperature (sandwiches, salads, etc.)
- Mobile Food Services – these are the self-contained operations found at most fairs and street festivals that are fully equipped to meet food safety requirements
- Temporary Food Operations – a group, organization or individual that will be selling food for a specific event or brief period of time (not to exceed 5 days)
For additional consumer food safety advice available as fact sheets, recalls, posters, even in other languages, visit http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/index.html.
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