Looking under the tables

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Sep 20, 2006 | by CARY LEIDER VOGRIN, THE GAZETTE

Through June 30, the county Health Department logged 206 restaurant complaints including hair in food, dirty dishes and sewage backups.

Restaurants are given three chances to fix violations. If they fail to do so, fines can be assessed. The Health Department assessed $16,500 in civil penalites last year. Through July of this year, it had issued $17,000 in penalties.

Most food-borne illnesses are caused by one of the following:

Improper food cooling for storage

Too much time between food preparation and serving

Poor personal hygiene, such as poor hand washing

Inadequate reheating of food for serving

Improper holding of hot foods before serving

SOURCE: El Paso County Department of Health and Environment, Teller County