Restaurant Inspections, Monmouth County Health Department

The Monmouth County Health Department attended Aberdeen Day yesterday. I hope you had a chance to visit their booth. The Health Department conducts routine inspections of restaurants in the county (except where a municipality has its own health department - Colts Neck, Freehold Township, Manalapan, Long Branch and Middletown) and posts derogatory results at their website until the violations are fixed and the place is fully inspected (without prior notice) at a later date.

Only the most egregious conditions earn an UNSATISFACTORY rating, according to the county's definition:

“Unsatisfactory”: Whenever a retail food establishment is operating in violation of this chapter, with one or more violations that constitute gross insanitary or unsafe conditions, which pose an imminent health hazard, the health authority shall issue an unsatisfactory evaluation. The health authority shall immediately request the person in charge to voluntarily cease operation until it is shown on reinspection that conditions which warrant an unsatisfactory evaluation no longer exists. The health authority shall institute necessary measures provided by law to assure that the establishment does not prepare or serve food until the establishment is reevaluated. These measures may include embargo, condemnation and injunctive relief.

Most violations earn the CONDITIONAL SATISFACTORY rating, which is also derogatory, just not to the degree of UNSATISFACTORY.

“Conditionally Satisfactory”: At the time of the inspection the establishment was found not to be operating in substantial compliance with this chapter and was in violation of one or more provisions of this chapter. Due to the nature of these violations, a reinspection shall be scheduled. The reinspection shall be conducted at an unannounced time. A full inspection shall be conducted. Opportunity for reinspection shall be offered within a reasonable time and shall be determined by the nature of the violation.

I encourage you to check from time to time to see if restaurants you frequent have come to the county's attention.