Food Services

Applications

The following applications may be printed, filled out and submitted to your local health department:


Food Establishments

These regulations govern the construction and operation of food establishments. Learn what is necessary to open a restaurant and what the health department looks for during an inspection.

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Certain food safety inspections are under the Department of Agriculture’s control. These services include, but are not limited to:

Certifications
ServSafe provides Food Safety Manager Certification Classes, as well as a class specifically for food handlers. The class designed for food handler’s gives the attendees a card to prove they took and passed the class, but it does not give a certification.


Food Inspections

We protect public health by permitting and inspecting food establishments such as restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, caterers, and temporary event vendors, such as booths at public fairs, at least once a year to insure that food is prepared and maintained safely to prevent food-borne illnesses. We investigate reports of food illnesses by working with businesses and citizens to educate and correct deficiencies.

Occasionally, as a result of unsatisfactory inspections or complaints from the public, more frequent follow-up inspections are conducted. Your questions, comments, or concerns may be directed to the Environmental Health Specialists based in each local office having routine contact with the food establishments. You may also contact the District Environmental Health Supervisor for the food program at 540-332-7830.

On this website you can view the most current inspections for all food establishments in the district that are permitted under the state food establishment regulations.

Health Department Restaurant Inspections


Food Safety

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne disease in the U.S. affects an estimated 48 million people, causes 128,000 hospitalizations, and is responsible for approximately 3,000 deaths per year.

A number of risk factors exist that often contribute to the spread of foodborne disease, such as not washing ones hands before or after handling food, cross-contamination of food surfaces after not properly cleaning them, and not cooking foods to the proper temperatures.

Foods Most Associated with Foodborne Illness
Raw foods of animal origin are the most likely to be contaminated; that is, raw meat and poultry, raw eggs, unpasteurized milk, and raw shellfish.

Fruits and vegetables consumed raw may also be contaminated. Washing these items can decrease, but not eliminate the contamination. Unpasteurized fruit juice can be contaminated if there are pathogens in or on the fruit that is used to make it.

What to do to Protect Yourself from Foodborne Illness
A few simple precautions can reduce the risk of foodborne diseases:

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REPORT: Report suspected foodborne illnesses to your local health department as this is an important part of the food safety system. Calls from concerned citizens are often how outbreaks are first detected.

 

Additional Resources


Milk Safety

The Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) work to ensure the safe handling of dairy products from the farm to your table. The health department has certified Milk Specialists that work daily with the milk plants in our area. Inspections, sampling and testing are carried out to ensure a safe product for local communities.

 

 

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