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Almost everyone likes to dine out casually, but if that dining experience is due to food poisoning, it can lead to serious problems.
That’s where the work of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s Food Safety, Non-Smoking, and Compliance Department comes in: ensuring that all institutions that serve food meet proper standards of fitness and protecting their consumers from disease.
Tony Makrostergios is the department’s program director, which includes about 20 crate inspectors tasked with examining restaurants, animal bites, pools and spas.
All public fitness teams in the province must meet Ontario’s public fitness standards, which serve as a consultant outlining the duty of public fitness teams, he said.
Within this framework, there are several protocols, one of which is food safety, Makrostergios said, adding that the ultimate goal is to reduce foodborne diseases.
“We have to do surveillance for suspected or proven foodborne illnesses,” he said, “and we do that through inspections, by following up on court cases (and through) reports from other fitness care professionals, such as doctors or hospitals. “
The work done through his team is important, Makrostergios acknowledged, because outbreaks can lead to severe illness and even death.
“Some things, like botulism or large-scale outbreaks, can cause a lot of illness, especially if you’re in a nursing home or daycare center where the immune formula is rarely highly evolved or has deteriorated,” he said. “They will have to be vigilant, because undeniable research on water can end up making many other people sick.
“That’s where we come in: check the output to provide as much education as possible so that if something happens, we can check to minimize its magnitude. “
The inspection procedure begins by classifying a food into one of 4 categories: high, moderate, low, or very low.
For example, a status quo that sells pre-packaged, non-hazardous foods, such as crisps or convenience drinks, would only want an inspection once every two years.
“There is nothing in terms of knowledge that indicates that someone could get sick from a bag of chips; That’s not to say it can’t happen, but the likelihood is much lower than in a high-risk environment where there are preparedness steps. “raw products (or) refrigeration,” Makrostergios said.
All stopovers at sites are “surprise inspections,” he said, adding that the only time a stopover would be booked in advance would be if it is made within a facility where a security clearance or additional credentials are required.
Before going there, an inspector would read up on a facility to collect as much data as possible before entering so they could plan accordingly, Makrostergiose explained.
“Normally, an inspector arrives, from the front or the back, but most of the time we don’t need to interrupt operations. . . The inspector will come in, introduce himself, and show proof of who he is. . . And then it begins.
The time of day also plays a role in inspection, he said, adding that if a stall is in the middle of a peak lunch period, chances are some things will be left out.
“In the beginning, it’s very much about observing how the staff prepare the food. Do you wash your hands, tweezers, or a suitable cleaner?You take a look at sanitation. You read about the team. . . “I started doing things that are a little more practical, like taking the temperature of food in the fridge or walk-in rooms, checking where the food is coming from (and) making sure there’s no waste, overflowing,” Makrostergios said.
“There is a list that reminds inspectors to check certain things, but it is also based on their own observations, because nothing fits into an undeniable list,” he added. “It’s based on what you see when you’re there and asking questions—and educating.
Makrostergios says the inspector’s goal is ultimately to teach staff and the business owner.
Here at Simcoe-Muskoka, he says they’re following a “phased approach. ”
Ideally, everything can be done through schooling, he added. However, if schooling fails, other functions are used.
“Sometimes the owner/operator doesn’t know something is broken, so we give them a chance to fix it, depending on what it is,” Makrostergios said.
If all else fails, orders or tickets can be issued.
With slow enforcement, Makrostergios says the starting point of a fee is called Part 1, which refers to a rushed fine.
This price corresponds to the fines set through the provincial government.
“Sometimes you have to give two or three, depending on the situation. When you encounter repeat offenders. . . then you make a citation (part 3) and that’s when they go to court and the fines can be very high,” he said. “There are orders that we can give, that can be appealed, but that remain valid until the appeal is heard. This is where there would possibly be an emergency in which the inspector feels that he does not have time to come up with a price. ticket or fear that when leaving, there could be an imminent danger.
“They can close on the spot and keep the pace according to the work,” Makrostergios added. “With an order, if you don’t comply with it, you incur a fine of up to $25,000 per day. It never needs to get to that point, but that’s all equipment that the inspector has to keep the public safe. “
Ultimately, Makrostergios believes it’s vital for the public to know that inspectors are only there to take a “snapshot,” which is why they go to great lengths to replace the days and times they visit a company.
“We are not here all day, every day. We see what we see while we are there and that does not reflect the operation.
That’s where the audience comes in, he says. If someone believes they have become ill because of the food they ate or anything they saw at a local establishment, they are encouraged to check with their doctor first, but possibly also call the fitness unit at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520. Organize or go online and create a report.
“The detail of justification is important,” Makrostergios said. “When other people call, it helps us identify some kind of pattern, if any. The more data we have, the better prepared we will be to know where to look.
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