KING COUNTY, WA - Today, as part of Food Safety Awareness Month, Public Health - Seattle & King County has launched the new Food Inspection webpages.

Located at www.metrokc.gov/health/foodsfty/inspections.htm, these webpages have been developed to inform and educate the public about food service establishments in Seattle and King County from the perspective of safe food handling or food safety.

At this site, the public will now be able to:

• view restaurant inspection results for any permitted food establishment in King County
• follow a Public Health inspector on a virtual mock inspection
  
• find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Food Inspection program
• check out which restaurants have the best inspection results
• learn what causes the inspector to close an establishment

"This is an example of government using new technology to do a better job at providing useful, up-to-date information to the public," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "With a better understanding of food safety practices and the inspection process, consumers will be able to make more informed choices for themselves and their families."

There are nearly 10,000 permitted food service establishments in Seattle and King County. The majority of these establishments have two unannounced inspections per year. While many of these food service establishments will automatically receive one special educational session on food safety annually, any restaurant may request a special educational session.

"King County prides itself on its well-deserved reputation as a leader in food safety," said King County Board of Health Chair Greg Nickels. "With the introduction of these pages, the work of King County's world-class food inspection program is now available to the public rapidly and easily."

"Food safety is the number one priority for the restaurant industry in Washington State," said Gene Vosberg, president of the Washington Restaurant Association. "We hope this effort will help raise general awareness of food safety and how diligent our industry is in working to protect the public when they dine away from home."

This launch is part of Public Health - Seattle & King County's efforts to promote food safety practice to the public as a means to reduce the incidence of food-borne illness. Well over 50% of food borne illnesses come from the way people handle food away from restaurants.

"Whether people get 'take out' or take leftovers home, cook meals in their own kitchens, or pack a picnic or a lunch, following food safety rules keeps the risk of food borne illness very low," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "For example, if someone leaves boxed restaurant leftovers in a warm car for several hours while they shop or attend a movie, pathogenic bacteria can multiply quickly and may cause foodborne illness."

This year's Food Safety Month theme is "BE COOL...CHILL OUT...Refrigerate Promptly." For more information on cooling foods, keeping cold foods cold, and food safety information for consumers, see www.foodsafety.gov.