Inspection Frequency
Food establishments are inspected one to three times a year using the
Missouri State Food Code. The frequency of inspection is based on the type of food served, the population served, the difficulty level of food preparation, and the inspection history of the facility. Restaurants preparing food from raw ingredients are inspected more often than convenience stores that serve only non-potentially hazardous foods, such as popcorn and soda.
Food Inspection Violations
Food inspection violations found during an inspection fall into the priority or non-priority category. Priority items can have a direct impact on the safety of the food. Non-priority items are usually sanitation or maintenance issues and are the items most often observed by the public while dining.
Priority Violations
Priority items can have a direct impact on the safety of the food. A repeat priority violation directly affecting the safety of the food could result in a minimum 24-hour suspension of the food establishment's permit. Examples of priority violations include
- Cross contamination between raw and ready-to-eat food
- Touching ready-to-eat foods without gloves
- Food from an unapproved source
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- Improper food temperature
- Lack of food safety knowledge by the person in charge
- Poor personal hygiene and employee health
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Non-priority Violations
Non-priority items play an important role in the overall performance of the facility but alone do not directly affect food safety. Examples of non-priority violations include:
- Dirty floors
- Dirty non-food contact equipment
- Grease on the floor
- Outside trash cans not covered
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- Repair issues
- Sticky tabletops
- Workers not wearing hair restraints, like hair nets or caps
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Recent Food Inspections
You can view results of food inspections from your favorite restaurant by searching our
food inspection database.
