Food service establishment inspection frequency: A comparison of the United States air force and Ohio local health departments

Background: Research team examined the impact of routine Food Service Establishment (FSE) inspection frequency on overall food facility safety by comparing inspections performed by the United States Air Force (USAF) and several Ohio Local Health Departments (LHDs). The USAF conducts FSE inspection on a more frequent schedule: some USAF sites perform inspections on a monthly basis. Most Ohio LHDs perform FSE inspections on a three to four month schedule. Methods: This is a comparative case study design using publically available LHD inspection data and data provided by several USAF sites. The data consist of FSE inspection reports for the previous two years from a variety of similar FSEs found in Ohio and on USAF installations. Participants: A convenience sample of eight Ohio LHDs was chosen (based on public availability of FSE inspection reports), plus five USAF installations. Results: This presentation is focused on frequency of total, and more importantly, critical food safety violations found in FSE inspection reports. We report the relationship between higher inspection frequency and reduced total and critical violations. Also reported is the impact of inspection frequency on repeat food safety violations. Discussion: While few LHDs have the resources to match the inspection schedule of the USAF, it is important to note the impact of frequency on quality of inspections.