Environmental Health

Food Safety
Holiday Food Safety
Food Safety Course
In any given two-week period, 85% of all Americans will eat at least one meal outside the home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne illness causes 76 million sicknesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths each year.
Our Environmental Health professionals inspect about 2,000 food service establishments for a 15-county area through a contract with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. In 1999, this area experienced 26 foodborne illness events, which involved 333 people. Depending upon the amount and type of food preparation within a facility, Environmental Health conducts one to three inspections per year for every food operation within our 15-county area.
Our inspectors look at the physical conditions of the establishment as well as the food handling practices of the employees. In addition, our department investigates food service complaints and conducts food sanitation training. Licenses are required for all food service establishments and are available by calling 641-421-9336. How does your favorite restaurant rate? Review the inspections.
Food safety is just as important in your home. Please follow these food safety tips:
Use caution when you buy food
When shopping, buy perishable foods last (such as meat, eggs, milk)
Because eggs, meat, seafood and poultry are most likely to contain bacteria, do not allow their juices to drip on other food
Shop for groceries when you can take food home right away so that it does not spoil in a hot car