DETROIT (WXYZ) — Today, the Detroit Health Department invited 7 News Detroit for a closer look at food safety inspections and to discuss the Safe Dining ordinance.
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“No matter where you go out to eat, you always want it to be a nice, clean, safe environment,” burger truck customer Andre Miller said.
He was pleased that the Cass Avenue burger truck had passed a food safety inspection just minutes before his visit and was deemed to meet all those requirements.
Environmental Health Specialist Sebrina Johnson carried out the inspection.
She said inspectors must wash their hands upon entering food preparation areas, “and it's also an opportunity to make sure there's hot and cold running water,” which Johnson said is an issue some food trucks face.
Passing the inspection complies with the city's recently passed “Dine with Confidence” ordinance, which requires businesses to post signs indicating their food is safe to eat.
Burger truck owner Kamal Alashkar said he fully supports the ordinance.
“I'm excited about this because I feel like there's an ideology that people think food trucks are dirty just because you can't see inside like a restaurant, but it's actually the exact opposite. I know a lot of food truck owners who have cleaner food trucks than most restaurants,” Alashkar explained.
“I started this initiative because of the Popeyes Chicken at 7 Mile and Gratiot Streets, and the Church's Chicken at 7 Mile and Conant Streets, where the owner was knowingly selling tainted and spoiled food,” said Detroit City Councilman Scott Benson, who introduced Dining with Confidence.
He said the ordinance will officially go into effect in October. Venues such as the Jolly Pumpkin and Avalon on Canfield are participating in the voluntary pilot program.
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Jolly Pumpkin and Avalon also passed inspection.
“I tell my staff, as managers, we're going to execute it, but it's up to them to execute it. I'm very proud of all the staff we have here,” General Manager Jason Vandereyk said.
So what exactly are inspectors looking for?
Video: Check out the “Dine with Confidence” inspector's checklist here
Video: Check out the “Dine with Confidence” inspector's checklist here
Environmental health specialist Paul Barry explained: “We have all our inspectors focus on the risk factors that can lead to foodborne illness – proper storage of hot and cold foods, appropriate cooking temperatures, good hygiene practices and sanitising of all contact surfaces and food from the food source.”
If a restaurant fails inspection, the city plans to put up a red sign — but as Detroit's Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair Razo explains, that's something no one wants to happen.
“We're not in the business of closing restaurants. That's not what we want to do. What we want to do is sit down with restaurant and food owners and let them know they have violations and do whatever we can to help them correct those violations and get back into compliance with the rules,” she said.
