Ball State University has a dining blog, seen here, to “allow the BSU community to interact and stay up-to-date with dining.” The blog, which includes a note on how to make a giant pancake, doesn’t mention that campus dinning halls are long over due for state food inspection.

The Star Press in Indiana is reporting BSU has not been inspecting its food establishments as often as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Indiana State Department of Health.

According to the story,
 
The dining services at two residence halls went nearly six years without an inspection for compliance with state sanitation requirements. The Atrium, a 400-seat food court, the Alumni Center and Noyer residence hall’s dining services were not inspected for more than three years, while LaFollette residence hall’s dining facilities did not get inspected for more than two years.

Scott Gilliam, director of the Indiana State Department of Health’s food protection program said,

“BSU’s residence halls and food courts should be inspected twice a year, possibly three times a year. They’re not following the recommended protocols to meet FDA standards. They’re not in violation of the law; they’re just not following what’s recommended by the feds and the state."

During my undergrad at the University of Guelph there was an outbreak E. coli O157:H7 linked to one of the campus food service outlets that sickened at least 5 students. In January 58 students and staff members at UC Santa Cruz were sickened with Norovirus after eating at the campus cafeteria.

Getting the squirts isn’t something students pay for in tuition, but in the past few years many universities have been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks. And though regular restaurant inspection doesn’t necessarily reduce the incidence of foodborne illness, it does get food service personnel talking about food safety.