KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - All week, Public Health - Seattle & King County has been helping Safeco Field staff learn safe practices for handling food. Now, it is up to them to put these practices into play.

"We are cautiously hopeful that food handling standards will be met at Safeco Field during this weekend's homestand," Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County said this morning.*

For this weekend, Public Health has assigned three food inspectors to conduct random, food safety inspections and to assist Safeco Field's sanitarian with additional education for staff.

Last week, Public Health identified 50 "red critical" food safety violations at food service establishments at Safeco Field. Red critical violations are serious and involve food handling practices that are most likely to cause food borne illness. The violations at Safeco Field have primarily involved lack of handwashing facilities and practice. Other violations included improper cooling of food, not heating cooked food to proper temperatures, and storing raw and cooked food together.

Public Health's Food Protection Program oversees approximately 9,400 food service establishments, 1,100 meat/poultry/fish establishments, and 2,000 temporary food booths per year. Approximately 33,000 food service inspections are projected for 1999 in addition to another 12,000 education and consultation visits. Public Health typically closes about 100 food service operations each year until their food safety problems are corrected.

*Dr. Alonzo Plough will speak with reporters on Monday, August 2, at 11:30 AM about the results of this weekend's food safety inspections at Safeco Field. This briefing will take place at 999 Third Avenue, 12th floor, Alki conference room.