Food Safety

Environmental Health Services offers monitoring, inspections, education, intervention and enforcement activities that eliminate or reduce the exposure and risk of communicable and chronic disease and environmental threats.

Food inspectors conduct regular inspection of restaurants, taverns, grocery stores, meat markets and bakeries to determine proper hygiene and food handling practices of operators and their employees. Inspectors also investigate food establishment complaints and conduct food borne illness investigations, and conduct plan reviews for remodels and new establishments.

• Food Safety Training Program
• Food Safety Resources
• Employee Health
• Guidance for Temporary Food Booths (pdf)
• Food Safety & Drinking Water Forms (Applications/Exemptions)
• Lemons in your drink study: Restaurants are spiking your drink with germs.

Idaho Food Safety Videos:

Safe and Proper Food Handling and Storage Videos from the Central District Health Department (CDHD). CDHD is a partner agency of SDHD serving Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley counties. To view these videos, click on the title link below or right-click on the title link and choose “Save Target As...”.

• Part 1: Introduction (23.4 MB)
  Foodborne illnesses are responsible for more than 75 million illnesses, more than 230,000 hospitalizations, and approximately 5000 deaths each year in the United States. In Part 1, we show you 3 types of contamination and how improper handling can allow them to become dangerous to your patrons.
  
• Part 2: Holding Time & Temperatures (18.4 MB)
  The top 5 current foodborne illnesses in the United States are introduced here. Learn about proper holding times and temperatures, and what qualifies potentially hazardous foods to fall into the “Danger Zone”, where bacteria rapidly grow and become dangerous to customers.
  
• Part 3: Poor Personal Hygiene (28.3 MB)
  Poor personal hygiene is responsible for many foodborne illnesses in the United States. Learn about proper hand washing and personal grooming, illnesses that either restrict or exclude employees from working, and watch a lighthearted example of poor personal hygiene featuring "Harold the Cook".
  
• Part 4: Inadequate Cooking and Contaminated Equipment (31.4 MB)
  Learn about 2 major causes of foodborne illness in the United States; inadequate cooking and contaminated equipment. Find the proper minimum cooking temperature ranges for meat, fish and poultry, and learn about proper washing and sanitization techniques.
  
• Part 5:  Adulterated Food (22.8 MB)
  In Part 5, learn about the 5th leading cause of foodborne illness; Adulterated Food. Purchase foods only from approved sources, rotate stock, and keep storage areas clean.
  
• Part 6: Review (28.9 MB)
  Review the information in Parts 1 through 6 on Basic Food Safety. Use this episode as a refresher course on everything you've learned about Basic Food Safety in Idaho.
  

Additional food safety videos from USDA

To report possible food poisoning:

If you believe that you or someone in your family has food poisoning, which is usually in the form of sudden vomiting or diarrhea, then visit www.ReportFoodPoisoning.com. You can enter information about what foods you have eaten and where you ate at. Someone from SDHD will contact you about your report.

Benefits to you:

• The website helps you recall your food history. The computer doesn't mind waiting while you talk with friends and family, consult credit card receipts or look through your calendar.
• The website is always open for you to submit your report.  
• You might be able to prevent others from becoming sick.

For more information, contact:

Carolee Cooper, EHS

(208) 239-5274