LEONARDTOWN, MD (April 4, 2019) – The St. Mary’s County Health Department announced recipients of the 2018 Gold Star Awards given annually to food service facilities that achieve superior food safety standards. Ninety-two award recipients are being recognized at a ceremony to be held April 4 in Leonardtown.
The Gold Star Program has recognized food establishments for superior compliance to food safety standards with this annual award since its inception in 2007. Environmental health specialists at the health department regularly inspect over 500 food service facilities in St. Mary’s County to ensure food safety is being adequately addressed.
“These establishments have demonstrated exceptional attention to public health safety and sanitation,” stated Mark Morris, Environmental Health Deputy Director at the health department. “They deserve to be recognized for achieving such high standards.”
The food establishments that achieve this high level of compliance receive a certificate and a window sticker designating them as Gold Star establishments. The requirements to earn a Gold Star are:
For more information about the Gold Star Program and for a list of the 2018 Gold Star Award winners, please visit the health department’s website at www.smchd.org/food-facility-inspections.
[ This story originally appeared here... ]
The Gold Star Program has recognized food establishments for superior compliance to food safety standards with this annual award since its inception in 2007. Environmental health specialists at the health department regularly inspect over 500 food service facilities in St. Mary’s County to ensure food safety is being adequately addressed.
“These establishments have demonstrated exceptional attention to public health safety and sanitation,” stated Mark Morris, Environmental Health Deputy Director at the health department. “They deserve to be recognized for achieving such high standards.”
The food establishments that achieve this high level of compliance receive a certificate and a window sticker designating them as Gold Star establishments. The requirements to earn a Gold Star are:
- No critical violations (based on COMAR 10.15.03)
- No temperature violations cited during a monitoring inspection
- All violations noted by an inspector must be corrected by a 30-day follow-up inspection
- No confirmed unsafe food handling complaints
- At least one food service worker completed a recognized and approved “Food Service Sanitation and Safety Class” within the last two years
For more information about the Gold Star Program and for a list of the 2018 Gold Star Award winners, please visit the health department’s website at www.smchd.org/food-facility-inspections.
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[ This story originally appeared here... ]