Dine with Peace of Mind!

Our sanitarians are committed to teaching and reinforcing the basics of safe food handling with food service operators so you can dine with peace of mind. The sanitarians at the Union County Health Department inspect restaurants and other permanent food service operations within Union County at least twice a year. Food trucks and other mobile vendors are inspected when set up at organized community events like fairs and festivals. These inspection reports are available to the public. 

When reviewing the inspection report for your favorite location, it is important to note:

• An inspection report is only a “snapshot” of what we saw at the time of inspection. An inspection report may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions within a facility. 
• Most facilities will have at least one or more violations due to the variability in staffing and complexity of food service. We recommend looking for notes regarding the facility’s responsiveness in correcting the violation while the inspector is onsite and/or consistent notation of the same violation over time to give a more accurate picture of the facility’s commitment to food safety.
• Violations at one facility that is part of a chain may indicate a problem at that particular location and may not be indicative of the situation at other locations. 

If you would like to view an inspection report for a local restaurant and cannot find it in the database, please contact the Union County Health Department at 937.642.2053 or email your request to contact@uchd.net. 

Voice of a Food Safety Complaint

With hundreds of licensed food operations, we rely on our residents to let us know if there is a concern at a food service operation when we’re not there. An inspection is performed each time a complaint is received from the community.

Quick Facts About Food Service Inspections

Inspection Frequency: Most restaurants and permanent food service operations in Union County are inspected twice a year. Mobile units such as food trucks licensed by the Union County Health Department are inspected at least once a year. Mobile units are also inspected when operating at an organized community fair or festival within Union County. Restaurants and mobile units are also inspected upon complaint. 

Inspection Reports: Reports become available throughout the year, as inspections are conducted. If you can’t find an inspection report or want to ensure you have the most recent inspection report, email us at contact@uchd.net or call 937-642-2053. 

Two Types of Violations Can Be Cited on Inspection Report:

• Critical Violations: Violations of the Food Regulations, which, if left uncorrected, are more likely than other violations to directly contribute to food contamination or illness. Examples include improper temperature control of food and the improper cooking, cooling, refrigeration, or reheating of food. Such problems can create environments that cause pathogens (bacteria/viruses) to grow and thrive, which put consumers at risk for food-borne illness.
• Non-Critical Violations: Violations not directly related to the cause of foodborne illness, however, if uncorrected, could affect the operation of the facility and lead to critical violations. Examples include a lack of facility cleanliness and maintenance or improper cleaning of nonfood-contact equipment.

Types of Inspections

• Standard: This inspection is unannounced to the facility. A local health department sanitarian will conduct a complete inspection covering all items in the regulations for compliance.
• Pre-license Inspection: This inspection is conducted prior to issuing a license to a new operation. The purpose of this inspection is to provide consultation and education to the operator.
• Critical Control Point (CCP): A sanitarian will spend time reviewing a facility’s food processes that may directly contribute to food contamination or illness and educates the facility on proper procedures.
• Process Review (PR): This type of inspection is similar to a CCP inspection; however the inspections are conducted in facilities such as grocery stores or convenience stores. The inspection will focus on a specific process that may directly contribute to food contamination or illness.
• Follow-up Inspection: This is an inspection for the specific purpose of re-inspecting items that were not in compliance at the time of the standard, CCP, and/or PR inspection. These inspections are scheduled.
• Complaint: This is an unannounced inspection conducted as a result of a complaint received by the health department. The specifics of the complaint will be evaluated and discussed with the person in charge of the facility.