BETHEL — All of the more than 60 establishments examined by the town for food safety guideline compliance in the past three years have passed their inspections, according to data from Bethel’s health department.
The results of Bethel’s 2020, 2021 and 2022 food service inspection reports are in stark contrast from about seven years ago, when nearly two dozen out of 130 food-serving establishments in town failed inspection between May 2015 to May 2016. The latest reports include new restaurants and other establishments, such as La Placita Bethel Market and Cinnamon Churros Café, that needed to pass inspection to open.
“It is not common for food establishments to fail an inspection and be closed due to violations that exist, but it can happen,” Bethel Health Director Laura Vasile said.
Although none of them failed, many of the food-serving establishments inspected in 2020, 2021 and 2022 were cited for violations that ranged from concerns related to cleanliness, storage and the proper disposal of wastewater.
In one instance, Anna H. Rockwell School, received a 100 score in October 2021, despite a violation related to keeping wiping cloths in sanitizer between uses.
According to Vasile, there are two ways in which an establishment can fail inspection.
“There are times that a food establishment receives a score below 80 (on a 100-point scale), and 80 was the passing score in the past, and/or has one or more four-demerit point items in violation, regardless of the rating score,” she said. “In this case, if closure was warranted it would be done.”
The most commonly-cited violations in the Bethel Health Department’s 2020, 2021 and 2022 food service inspection reports had to do with cleanliness of non-food contact surfaces of utensils and equipment.
Inspections are conducted to make sure “appropriate required sanitary environmental conditions and food safety practices are in use” and food safety standards are being met, said Vasile, who added Bethel food establishments are typically good about correcting violations in a timely manner.
It doesn’t usually occur, Vasile said, but if a food establishment has to close to correct violations, it usually means significant work needs to be done.
“The licensed food establishment and health department normally address food safety concerns and violations immediately to protect the public,” she said, noting that owners or operators can request re-inspections to improve the rating score of their establishment.
Vasile said Bethel’s health department not only identifies violations, but discusses them with the owners and operators of food establishments and works with them to figure out ways to prevent the violations from occurring in the future.
“The health department-food establishment partnership goal is to use consistent food protection practices to protect the public served,” she said.