DES MOINES, Iowa — Changes are coming to how often Iowa inspects food establishments in the state. Those changes come after the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals reported major violations by restaurants and grocery stores earlier this summer. Those violations ranged from incorrectly storing meat to a lack of hand washing areas.
Both the Department and the Iowa Restaurant Association claim the changes won't impact how or when they find those violations.
Bureau Chief of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Mark Speltz shared the food and consumer safety bureau have made changes to the frequency of inspections in Iowa food establishments, but the changes don't affect everyone
"Each establishment that we regulate, has a set criteria, that they fall into either a very low risk all the way up to a very high risk," Speltz said.
President and CEO of Iowa Restaurant Association, Jessica Dunker explained how it's the low risk places that will experience changes with the inspections department inspecting those every five years now instead of three years
"The lowest risk area, they're gonna go to once every five years, and these are places that may or may not serve food, they may, or they certainly don't prepare food from scratch," Dunker said.
Low risk areas are places like a neighborhood bar, which just heat the food, instead of preparing it in a kitchen.
Spletz explained places considered high risk, like a sushi or sandwich restaurant, will still be inspected every three years. He shared it's the changes to low-risk establishments that help that happen.
"We took a look at our low, our very low, our medium risk establishments and reduced inspection frequency there. So we can focus more attention on the high risk establishments," Speltz said.
Dunker shared the changes made by the the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals won't affect traditional restaurants, so, you don't have to worry when grabbing a bite at your favorite Iowa eatery
"We really don't expect as the restaurant industry or the typical restaurant industry for this to be much of a change, we will still see our inspectors on a very regular basis," Dunker said.
According to Dunker, every restaurant is required to have one certified food protection manager although she's been seeing more restaurants in Iowa have a certified food protection manager, per shift.
RELATED: Texas Roadhouse coming to Altoona