New Haven looks to post letter grades at food service businesses

NEW HAVEN — Diners wondering how safe it is to eat at a particular restaurant will get some helpful guidance under a new city proposal that could make it as easy as A, B, C or D.

Under the plan making its way through city government, the Health Department, which already inspects food service establishments, would issue each a letter grade.

New Haven’s 1,175 food service establishments — including restaurants, food trucks, schools, hospitals and other institutions and even all the convenience and small corner stores throughout the city — would be required to post their grade, which would reflect their compliance with various health and food safety standards, in a prominent place.

Currently, they’re simply required to post their food service license.

“We want to empower consumers to be able to make choices” and “encourage transparency,” said Director of Health Maritza Bond, who presented a proposed ordinance amendment this week to the Board of Alders’ Legislation Committee.

In addition, “we want to promote stronger and more robust food safety practices,” Bond said. The idea is “to allow consumers to make informed choices,” she said.

An “A” grade would represent a score of 90 percent to 100 percent with no more serious “four-point” violations, which under the state’s standardized food service inspection protocol result in an automatic failure. A “B” grade would represent a score of 80-89 with no four-point violations and fewer risk factor violations, Bond told committee members.

A “C” grade would represent a score of 80 with five or more risk factor violations, Bond said.

A “D” grade would represent a score below 80 or with one or more fourpoint violations, she said.

The Legislation Committee, chaired by Alder Ellen Cupo, D-8, voted unanimously to give the amendment a favorable recommendation. It now goes to the full Board of Alders for consideration.

The Health Department will be ready to being using the grading system just as soon as it’s approved, Bond said.

Similar food service grade systems already are in use in New York City, Hartford, Stamford and Norwalk, as well as in Wallingford and communities covered by the Quinnipiack Valley (Hamden, North Haven, Bethany and Woodbridge) and Naugatuck Valley (Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton) health districts.

While Tuesday’s vote was unanimous, several alders had questions about how the program would work.

Alder Evelyn Rodriguez, D-4, wanted to know whether it would costs business owners anything. Bond said it wouldn’t.

Alder Eli Sabin, D-7, asked whether this was the same system being used by other districts. Bond said it was.

How often food service establishments are inspected depends on which of four classes they are in.

Westville-Amity-Beaver Hills Alder Richard Furlow, D-27, wanted to know what determines what class an establishment is in.

Class 1, inspected once a year, includes establishments that only sell prepackaged food that is not time or temperature controlled, or commerciallyprocessed food that can be heated but is not permitted to be cooled, according to Bond.

Class 2, inspected twice a year, includes establishments that don’t serve populations that are highlysusceptible to food-borne illness and have limited menus of items that can be cooked and served immediately and kept warm or cool, but heated items may not be allowed to cool.

Class 3, inspected three times a year, includes establishments that do not serve populations that are highly-susceptible to foodborne illness and have extensive menus of foods, many of which are time or temperature controlled for safety and may be coolledge and reheated.

Class 4, inspected four times a year, includes establishments that serve a population that is highlysusceptible to food-borne illnesses, including preschool students, hospital patients and nursing home patients or residents, or that conduct specialized food processes.