County adopts food grade scale

The Sanders County Board of Health recently adopted a retail food inspection grading program.

This pilot project is intended to provide consumers with information on the level of compliance with Montana’s retail food rules. It may also serve as a tool for consumers to make informed choices about where they want to eat.

Montana’s retail food rules are modeled after the Food and Drug Administration’s 2013 Food Code.

Sanders County will incorporate existing risk-based food inspections with a new scoring system, which was designed to clearly and objectively indicate the level to which a particular establishment complies with retail food rules. Specific point values will be assigned to violations observed with Foodborne Illness Risk Factors and Good Retail Practices.

Risk Factor violations are improper practices that are considered to directly contribute to increased risk of foodborne illness. There are five major risk factors, including: holding food at improper temperatures, cooking food to incorrect temperatures, contaminated food contact surfaces, poor personal hygiene, and obtaining food from unapproved sources.

The scoring program will be initiated in January 2018, with inspection scores posted on the Sanders County website. Subsequent inspections will include a letter grade that must be posted in a noticeable location within the establishment.

For information, contact the Sanders County Environmental Health Department at 827-6961 or 827-6909.