Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:

Inspection reports for local food facilities are now available online.

Inspection reports have always been available to the public in paper form.  Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Division of Environmental Health (DEH) Director Melissa Martel said going electronic will make the reports more accessible.

“Posting inspection report content online is an effort to better serve and inform our community and is consistent with the practice of most California counties,” Martel said. “When you as the consumer want to know what we found at our last inspection, it’s right there online for you.”

DEH staff performs 1,400 to 1,500 routine retail food facility inspections annually throughout the county. Retail food facilities include restaurants, grocery stores, school cafeterias, gas stations, food trucks and other places were food is available for purchase.

Martel said inspectors will continue to educate facilities on proper retail food handling practices while assisting operators in identifying the best ways to correct violations to ensure food is being prepared and served safely.

Routine inspections occur one to three times a year depending on the type of facility. Non-routine inspections occur as needed and are complaint driven or conducted at the owner’s request.

Inspection results are posted within a week of the inspection date. Currently, online reports are available going back a year.

To view the latest reports, go to the Division of Environmental Health’s webpage at humboldtgov.org/EnvironmentalHealth and click on Restaurant Inspections.