Generated by inspections conducted by the Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS), the online reports can help consumers gauge the sanitary conditions of a food establishment during the most recent visit by a health inspector. Consumers can search food establishments by name, category and zip code.
"Mayor Bill White has challenged us to make City Hall the most efficient and responsive in the country," said Health and Human Services Department Director Stephen L. Williams, M.ED, MPA. "This helps us meet that goal by making access to information more readily available to citizens."
Factors that enter into a consumer's choice of where to eat or shop include the price, type of food, location, customer service and atmosphere. However, one factor difficult for consumers to assess is the attention paid to food safety issues at food establishments. The reports provide consumers a general indication of compliance with regulations that help prevent food-borne illnesses.
During routine inspections, HDHHS' inspectors spend most of their time evaluating food workers' practices such as the receiving, storing and processing of food and the temperatures at which they cook, hold, serve, store and reheat food. They also check for deficiencies in the premises and for insects or rodents.
The inspectors conduct unannounced visits at least once a year to each of the approximately 12,000 food establishments in Houston. They perform additional inspections to an establishment as necessary based on the public health risks posed by the establishment and its past compliance history.
Compliance standards are related primarily to:
food protection
temperature of food
food supplies
employee hygiene and food-handling practices
water supply and sewage disposal
toilet and hand washing facilities
garbage and refuse disposal
pest (insects/rodents) control
cleaning and sanitizing of food equipment and utensils
maintenance of floors, walls and ceilings
sufficient lighting and ventilation
proper storage and display of toxic materials
premises
