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Health is Our Business….Committed to a Healthy Kenosha

FOOD PROTECTIONWI State Statutes 97.30, 254.64 and 254.69

The food protection program objective is the prevention of food-borne disease through regulation of restaurants, retail food establishments, vending machines, school lunch programs, farmers markets, food dealers and special events. Activities include licensing, plan review, routine, follow-up and complaint inspections, consultations, and education.

Over 1140 food establishment licenses are currently active and inspected by the Kenosha County Division of Health Environmental Section (2014). All permanent restaurant and retail food licensed establishment’s inspections are available for public viewing on this page. The environmental health section licenses food establishments based on a ‘risk category’ scoring system which measures the types of food served or sold, complexity and size of the establishment, and even the menus offered by the establishment as part of the overall scoring system at time of licensing. This ‘risk category’ is evaluated prior to approval of the establishment operating, and is re-evaluated during routine inspections to ensure consistency across the county.

The posted inspection results are from routine, follow-up, and pre-licensing inspections and currently include licensed food establishments. These inspections are mainly focused on the prevention of foodborne illness but always include all aspects of restaurant and retail food sanitation. Risk factors and good retail practices are included on the inspection forms.

Risk factors are defined as the improper practices or procedures identified by the CDC as the contributing factors of foodborne illness or injury and include:

  • (a) Poor personal hygiene
  • (b) Food from unsafe source
  • (c) Inadequate cooking
  • (d) Improper holding temperatures
  • (e) Contaminated equipment.

Good retail practices are defined as the practices or procedures that focus on general sanitation in the food establishment.

Routine inspections are generally unannounced and are conducted when the establishment is operating. Please remember that the posted inspections are a ‘snapshot’ of the conditions found by the inspectors at the given time of the visit. The conditions in a food establishment can change rapidly and on a day to day basis. Inspectors are looking at short term hazards as well as long term procedures to ensure healthy as well as safe operation of the establishment.

One the most important aspects of these inspections are the demonstration of knowledge and education opportunities between the inspector and the operator of the food establishment. Although enforcement of applicable food code and the process of writing violations are extremely important, the idea that the inspector is also an educator is vital to keeping the public safe from foodborne illness as well.

Please feel free to contact an inspector or the Environmental Health Section with any questions or comments regarding these inspections at 262-605-6700. The food establishment inspection data is the only section available to the public online at this time but the other programs are scheduled to follow. These programs include hotel, swimming pool, tattoo/body piercing, and more are being developed.

Kenosha County Division of Health

Environmental Section

8600 Sheridan Road, Suite 600

Kenosha, WI 53143

(262)-605-6700

dlWebHealth@kenoshacounty.org