What is safe? What is not? Shelby County food inspector weighs in on what to look for during your next restaurant visit

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Recalls have been running rampant lately, from contaminated deli meat to fast food burgers, the number of warnings may have you thinking twice about places that you dine right here in the Mid-South.

A massive recall of Boar’s head Deli meat led to nearly 60 people being hospitalized and multiple deaths, including 1 in Tennessee.

However, how often do these products make it to your local restaurant or deli?

“It doesn’t happen that often. It’s usually caught at the factory where they are manufacturing, but it can happen locally,” said Kasia Smith-Alexander with the Shelby County Health Department.

Kasia Smith-Alexander is the administrator of Environmental Health Services and oversees the health inspectors that check to make sure no contaminated meat make it to your dinner table.

One of the things they check often at local delis are the meat slicers.

“That’s something we go look for when we go do inspections. When was the last time the slicer was cleaned? Because if it’s been there for 6 hours and the residue has been sitting on there for 6 hours, that has the potential to grow listeria,” said Smith-Alexander.

Smith-Alexander says there are some things the consumer can look out for to see if your favorite restaurant is safe.

“I look for overall cleanliness. You know is my shoe sticking to the floor? Do you smell anything that may smell odd when you walk in,” said Smith-Alexander.

If you’re ever at a restaurant and go to the bathroom and they don’t have hot water, that should be a concern because if you don’t have hot water in the bathroom how are their employees washing their hands effectively," said Smith-Alexander.

Restaurants in Shelby County are checked 1-3 times a year, and Smith-Alexander says it’s a good idea to know the scores of the restaurants you frequent the most.

“I would definitely check it because we are only there for a snapshot. If we’re only there for a snapshot and they receive a low score, that tells you how you’re doing on a day to day basis,” said Smith-Alexander.

However, the biggest risk for food borne illnesses may actually be in your own refrigerator.

Smith-Alexander says once the seal is broken on packaged deli meats, it should be thrown away 7 days later.

Fresh fruits and vegetables should be kept separate from meats and refrigerators should stay at 41 degrees or lower.

“Sometimes refrigerators they get older. You have the doors open; it can get to 45 ‚50 degrees and you’re letting bacteria to grow at those optimum temperatures,” said Smith-Alexander.

You can check how your favorite restaurant’s last health inspection score here.

Health inspection scores are required to be posted in the restaurant. If a food establishment also has a bar, there is a separate score for the restaurant and the bar.

We also wanted to know what the most common violations were cited at local restaurants.

“If there is one thing we do see is dealing with the hands s far as properly washing them and making sure they don’t touch the food when it’s going out to the consumer,” said Smith-Alexander.

She also says foods not being stored or cooked to the right temperature is another common violation.

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