When it comes to multi-tasking, Sonja Tucker and Tracy Ferguson are experts.
Tucker and Ferguson are public health environmentalists with the Mississippi Department of Health’s Pike County Health Department. And that means they’re responsible for a lot of duties.
“We take water samples to test wells. We take soil samples to be evaluated at the lab in Jackson for septic systems. We handle rabies cases, restaurant inspections and educate the public and businesses about food safety,” Tucker told the McComb Lions Club on Tuesday.
Restaurant inspection is one of the better-known health department functions. Tucker said the goal of food inspections is to protect the public by ensuring that the food served at restaurants is safe.
The inspections focus on preventing the spread of food-borne illnesses such as E. coli and salmonella, educating food service employees about risk factors involving food preparation and eliminating violations of the state’s food code.
Tucker said food establishments include operations that store, prepare, package and provide food for consumption.
“That includes schools, restaurants, jails ... any place where food is prepared for public consumption,” she said. “We do not inspect places like churches, charitable organizations, food processing plants or kitchens in a private house, where food is prepared for consumption in the house.”
Ferguson said the health department uses three inspection grades for restaurants and food facilities:
• A — no critical violations are found.
• B — Critical violations are found and corrected under the environmentalist’s supervision.
• C — Critical violations are found, but are not all corrected during the inspection.
The restaurant or facility is re-inspected, and violations must be corrected within 10 days. If they are not, the establishment’s food service permit is suspended.
Ferguson said restaurant and food service facility grades are public record, and businesses must post their grade in a public place. She added that restaurant grades are published on the Mississippi Department of Health Website.
Tucker and Ferguson said restaurant inspections are done without notice, but Ferguson said most restaurants managers usually know when it’s time for an inspection and get prepared.
Tucker added that when health officials receive a complaint about a restaurant, “We check it out.”
She said complaints can be anonymous.
“But sometimes people want their name included on the complaint,” Ferguson said.
Occasionally, Tucker said, complaints are vague, and environmentalists try to get specifics about the problem.
Besides discussing food inspection, the environmentalists answered questions about water and soil inspections, adding that there is no charge for taking sample for analysis unless they are required by a mortgage company for the purchases of a home.
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To review a list of restaurant inspections, visit http://msdh.ms.gov/food/default.aspx
