Restaurant inspectors regularly visit eateries across Pennsylvania to make sure food is handled safely so that people can dine out without getting sick.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that about 1 in 6 Americans get sick every year from a foodborne illness, resulting in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. According to the CDC, from 2014 through 2022, 54.4% of all reported foodborne illness outbreaks with an identified source originated from eating out compared to the 12.5% of outbreaks that originated from meals prepared at home.
To help Pennsylvanians get the information they need to dine out without getting sick, Spotlight PA has launched a new tool.
The Pennsylvania Restaurant Safety Tracker lets readers search for businesses by name, city, or ZIP code across 61 counties. The tool notes whether violations are high, medium, or low risk. It also summarizes the notes from inspectors, making it easier for readers to understand what they found and what it means.
Making these reports more accessible benefits both diners and restaurants.
“Food safety is critical to the success of a food business,” said Andy Hirneisen, a food safety expert with Penn State Extension. “An outbreak of a foodborne illness can ruin a restaurant’s reputation.”
Here’s everything you need to know about how restaurant inspections work in Pennsylvania.
How often are restaurants inspected?
In Pennsylvania, restaurants are inspected at least once a year. The inspections are carried out by either the state Department of Agriculture or a county or local health department. No matter who does the inspection, they follow standards set by the PA Food Code to ensure that all businesses comply with the same rules. The state adapts its code from the Food and Drug Administration’s Model Food Code.
A restaurant may be inspected more than once a year if complaints are received or the initial inspection was not passed. Inspection reports list what prompted the scrutiny, each violation, and any corrective actions.
What happens when a violation occurs?
The Department of Agriculture’s website says that inspections represent a “snapshot” and that violations are recorded but often corrected before the inspector leaves.
Restaurants can have a few violations and still be in compliance or one violation and be out of compliance, depending on the severity of the issue.
While You’re Here
Spotlight PA’s nonprofit reporting is a free public service, but it depends on your support. Give now to ensure it can continue.
Are some violations more concerning than others?
Violations are broken into two categories: foodborne illness risk factors, which are things that can make someone sick if not corrected, and good retail practices, which have less potential to cause significant sickness. A restaurant may have one or two good retail practice violations and not be automatically out of compliance.
Foodborne illness risk factors include things like handwashing and temperature control. Good retail practices include maintenance of equipment or cleanliness of surfaces like floors.
Some foods and preparation methods are riskier than others, Hirneisen said.
“For example, bean sprouts, seed sprouts are grown in a warm, moist environment,” Hirneisen said. “Bacteria or germs that can make us sick grow in that environment too. Also, food can be improperly handled, increasing the chance of foodborne illness. An example of this is if a restaurant doesn’t properly wash produce, like lettuce or berries, before serving them. Additionally, certain foods carry a higher risk for foodborne illness if they aren’t cooked thoroughly, such as hamburgers.”
