Clean kitchens

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

Local restaurant owners point to some shortcomings in the new on-line food safety inspection project, launched by government to promote transparency in the consumer marketplace.

Approximately 5,000 food establishments in Nova Scotia - including restaurants, takeouts, grocery stores and other food-service facilities; are monitored by food safety specialists for the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Branch. Establishments are visited between one and three times a year. After each visit, the operator is provided with an inspection report that confirms they are in compliance with food safety regulations or requires them to take corrective action to address violations and food safety issues.

Information from inspection reports completed after July 10 now appears online. Reports are only for inspections, and describe conditions found at the time of the inspection. As more reports are added, the site will cover a two-year period of reports.

Michael Howell, an executive member of the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia, which supports the government's online database; owns the Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville. While he agrees with providing inspection information to informed stakeholders, he questions the ability of government to post "all the relevant information in a timely manner."

He also fears the public doesn't get the full picture from the postings. He points to two recent violations regarding a soap dispenser and the temperature of a fridge at his own restaurant as examples. "These small infractions were duly noted and taken care of almost immediately, but that information didn't appear on the website in a timely fashion - which gave the impression I didn't fix the issues."

Howell was angered by an October 29 story in The Chronicle Herald, which he called “fear-mongering.” It listed The Tempest's violations - but not the fact the issues had been resolved. "Even my own mother called me up after reading that story, worried I had failed my safety inspection. That was not the case, but that story - combined with the incomplete information on the website, gave some people that impression and generated a lot of concern from my customers."

Tom McNeil, who manages the Aurora Inn's dining room in Kingston, agrees the information on the website may not be geared to public consumption. "I don't have a problem with the information going on-line, but it can be very technical and the average consumer may not have the background to understand its implications."

He says the restaurant hasn't experienced any downturn in business following the listing of its one violation. "I look to my regular customer base for feedback and, so far, there hasn't been any."

At the Coldbrook Village Pub, owner Neal Bentley says increasing public concern about food safety makes the website inspection listing very relevant. An on-line search indicates a recent visit by a food safety inspector shows no violations here. "People want to know their food is safe, and I think making this information public is a good thing. If (a restaurant owner) doesn't have anything to hide, then there is nothing to fear."

Don Benson, owner of the Driftwood Restaurant in Berwick - also with no violations following a recent inspection - agrees with Bentley the transparency that comes with the listings is a good thing. He cautions the whole system is dependent on the often subjective approach of individual inspectors. "The inspector I have now is very reasonable but, with a previous one, his only objective was to find something wrong."

Benson fears that type of behaviour could result in inaccurate and biased reports being posted on line. "That scenario simply wouldn't benefit the consumer."

Howell, who has worked with three different inspectors since opening his establishment, agrees. "Yes, some (inspectors) have been pickier than others, but I have found all to be fair. Their job is to protect the public."

Howell has no issues with that fact, but worries the new reporting system simply creates more challenges for the already-overburdened inspectors and food safety department.

WEBLINKS

www.gov.ns.ca/agri/foodsafety/reports/