Restaurants to Face Tougher Health Standards

Beginning this June, it could be tougher for many Los Angeles County restaurants to earn the coveted “A” grade to hang in their window. A new set of criteria designed to better protect patrons from food-borne illnesses will go into effect, giving greater weight in the twice-yearly inspections to conditions that pose a more immediate threat to public health, such as improper temperatures for food storage and cooking and employee hygiene. Other items, which used to carry equal weight on the inspection, such as the use of hairnets and the storage of cleaning chemicals and mops, will be downgraded. “There was some concern from the Board [of Supervisors] that we should look at the more critical areas and make sure we’re being tough enough on them,” said Jonathan Fielding, county director of public health. In January 1998, the Los Angeles County Health Department began requiring the area’s 34,000 restaurants and other food establishments to post their inspection grades. When the posting was instituted, about half of all food sellers earned an A grade. Last year that number surged to 76.2%. “You have to align health incentives with economic incentives,” Fielding says. “People tell us, ‘If I get a B my business will go down.’ ”