County health inspectors frequently check restaurant kitchens. They make sure food is prepared safely and that public health standards are followed. In Union County, our team truly cares about public health. We do much more than just inspections.

Our Environmental Health specialists taught a food safety course to local food service workers, with a focus on preventing germs and foodborne illnesses in kitchens. The class had 15 food industry workers from all over the County, 14 who are now certified food protection managers.

Class participants got hands-on experience with activities to practice safe food handling, such as:

• Using thermometers to check if food is cooked and stored at the right temperature.
• Learning safe ways to cool down food to stop harmful bacteria from growing.
• Using “Glo-Germ,” a special lotion that glows under blacklight, to show how easily germs can spread if hands are not washed properly.

Foodborne illness is common, serious and preventable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about 48 million Americans, or one in six people, get sick from contaminated food each year. This often happens because the food was not handled correctly. When restaurant kitchen managers are trained well, fewer people get sick.

“Courses like this help maintain high standards in our local food spots,” said Charlotte Keziah, Union County Environmental Health Manager. "It's the hard work behind the scenes that keeps local diners safe. Strong training and detailed inspections play a big role in this."

Union County offers this food safety class twice a year: in the spring and in the fall. Restaurant managers can check out future classes by visiting the Food & Lodging Protection Program page and are invited to sign up for our quarterly newsletter, Frontline Food Talk, to stay updated on relevant food safety topics. This page also has a link to the latest inspection scores for local restaurants.