Moses Smucker, who runs a luncheonette at Reading Terminal Market, recalls riding a mule up Aisle Seven more than decade ago during an event honoring Pennsylvania Dutch culture. Behind him, his son paraded on a white quarter horse.

The market has since banished livestock, and in 2008, eateries like Smucker’s came under new food safety rules that focus on preventing illness more scientifically.

Smucker, a jolly Old Order Amish merchant who runs the Grill@Smuckers, has adapted well to the new order. His eatery had no foodborne illness violations in 2014, the more serious of the Philadelphia health department’s two categories.

Some other merchants have struggled to meet the risk-based standards, inspection reports show. They include some of the terminal’s most-beloved eateries: Beck’s Cajun Café (9), the Dutch Eating Place (9), Olympic Gyro (8), Franks-A-Lot (6), and Hershel’s East Side Deli (5).

The average citywide inspection had 2.3 food-borne illness violations, according to city reports.

The city’s chief food safety officer, Palak Raval-Nelson, said judging an eatery just by its number of serious violations could be misinterpreted, she said. It’s the type of violation and the severity that matters.

How does Moses Smucker keep the inspectors at bay?

Smucker pointed to his wife of 42 years, Suzy.

“She stays on top of things,” Smucker said. “When she cleans, she cleans it right.”