This is a terrible picture …

… but it’s what Toronto’s restaurant inspection disclosure system looks like — the infamous red, yellow, green.

Columbus, Ohio, has apparently decided to adopt a similar system. Barnet D. Wolf of The Columbus Dispatch reports that,

"The inspection process has received more attention since the board instituted a color-coded food-safety sign system for restaurants, markets and other retail food businesses. The signs tell consumers whether the location meets state health-code requirements.

The green sign means all standards have been met. Red means the facility has been shut down or put on probation for critical code violations.

A number of restaurant owners viewed the signs’ introduction with dismay, thinking the process would be overly costly and time consuming.

After initially opposing the signs, the Central Ohio Restaurant Association has changed its mind. Gail Baker, the group’s director, said the system is "fair to restaurants and will give the public a tool" to assess dining spots’ safety.

Fighting public disclosure is a bad idea. Figuring out the best way to provide information is a good idea.

This entry was posted in Food Safety Policy, Restaurant Inspection and tagged by Douglas Powell. Bookmark the permalink.

About Douglas Powell

A former professor of food safety and the publisher of barfblog.com, Powell is passionate about food, has five daughters, and is an OK goaltender in pickup hockey. Download Doug’s CV here. Dr. Douglas Powell editor, barfblog.com retired professor, food safety 3/289 Annerley Rd Annerley, Queensland 4103 dpowell29@gmail.com 61478222221 I am based in Brisbane, Australia, 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time