Overview

The Food Safety Program is primarily responsible to protect the community against foodborne illnesses resulting from health code violations and improper handling of food. It is responsible for inspections of food service operations, food vending machines, mobile food operations, and food establishments. Schools, daycare centers, restaurants, and hospitals are just a few of the areas inspected on a regular basis by this section. Thanks to the ongoing, highly professional service provided by registered sanitarians, the incidence of foodborne illnesses is minimal in the Franklin County community.

Things we do:

  • License all food service operations and food establishments
  • Inspect food establishments and food services operations
  • Approve plans for all new and renovated food-related facilities
  • Investigate foodborne illnesses and reports of contaminated food
  • Investigate customer complaints

  • Procure and analyzes water samples from food establishments/food service operations with privately owned wells
  • Make in-service presentations
  • Investigate reports of food related violations
  • Inspect vending machines that dispense food products
  • Inspect Micro-Markets

We inspect all food facilities within Franklin County and the City of Pickerington with the exception of the cities of Columbus and Worthington. Any restaurants within the city limits of Columbus or Worthington are licensed and inspected by Columbus Public Health.

If you need information about a change of ownership inspection, please contact the designated inspector.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the designated inspector, or email the Food Safety Section.

For food safety information after you’ve experienced a fire, click here!

2019 ServSafe/Level 2 Registration

The Food Safety Program is pleased to announce that we’ll be offering ServSafe Managers Course/Level 2 Certification. The course will be offered over two days and will fulfill requirements for Ohio’s Level 2 Certification rule. Registration is due one week prior to the first day of each session. If you have any questions, please contact the Food Safety Program by calling 614-525-4537, or by emailing food@franklincountyohio.gov.

2019 ServSafe Registration Form

2019 ServSafe Retest Registration Form

2019 Food Code Updates

A new version of the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code will be effective on March 1, 2019. While most of the changes are minor, we want to inform you of several major changes that may affect your food service operation or retails food establishment. (Click on the image to view the PDF).

Inspectors and the Areas They Serve

Garrett Guillozet
Food Safety Program Supervisor
(614) 525-4537

(614) 525-4927

Cities
Grandview Heights
Westerville

Villages
Marble Cliff

Townships
MIfflin Township
Perry Township
Sharon Township

(614) 525-3906

Cities
Hilliard

Villages
N/A

Townships
Brown Township
Franklin Township
Prairie Township

(614) 525-6669

Cities
Upper Arlington
Whitehall

Villages
Minerva Park
Valleyview

Townships
Pleasant Township

(614) 525-3870

Cities
Bexley
Pickerington

Villages
Brice
Obetz

Townships
Clinton Township
Madison Township
Truro Township

(614) 525-6689

Cities
Dublin

Villages
N/A

Townships
Blendon Township
Washington Township

(614) 525-3920

Cities
Gahanna
New Albany

Villages
N/A

Townships
Jefferson Township
Plain Township

(614) 525-3855

All vending locations

Cities
Canal Winchester
Reynoldsburg

Villages
Lockbourne

Townships
Hamilton Township

(614) 525-4537

Cities
Grove City
Groveport

Villages
Harrisburg
Urbancrest

Townships
Jackson Township

Restaurants in Worthington are inspected by Columbus Public Health (614) 645-8191

Enforcement


Food Safety Inspection

The goal of the Food Safety Program’s enforcement guide is to have and maintain a progressive enforcement approach that includes outreach and education which ultimately ensures each facility is in compliance with the Ohio Uniform Food Code.

A facility may be placed into the enforcement program when there are critical or repeat violations that go uncorrected. If at any given inspection, uncorrected critical violations exist, a follow-up inspection may be performed. If at the time of the follow-up inspection, those violations or additional violations are present, the facility may be placed into the enforcement program. This may include increased inspections, an administrative hearing, or referral to the Board of Health for additional enforcement actions which may include suspension, revocation or placing restrictions on the food license.

Please contact the food safety program or designated inspector for specific questions regarding our enforcement procedures.

COTTAGE FOOD ITEMS, FARM & FARMERS' MARKET INFORMATION

Definitions Cottage Food Production Operation This is defined in Chapter 3715 of the Ohio Revised Code to mean a person who, in the person’s home, produces food items that are not potentially hazardous foods, including bakery products, jams, jellies, candy, fruit butter, and similar products specified in the rule. These foods must be labeled properly or they will be considered misbranded or adulterated. Home This means the primary residence occupied by the residence's owner, on the condition that the residence contains only one stove or oven used for cooking, which may be a double oven, designed for common residence usage and not for commercial usage, and that the stove or oven be operated in an ordinary kitchen within the residence.
Includes:
  • Bakery products (such as cookies, breads, brownies, cakes, pies, etc.);
  • Candy (including no-bake cookies, chocolate covered pretzels or similar chocolate covered non-perishable items);
  • Jams;
  • Jellies and fruit butter, granola, granola bars, granola bars dipped in candy;
  • Popcorn, flavored popcorn, kettle corn, popcorn balls, caramel corn;
  • Unfilled baked donuts;
  • Waffle cones;
  • Pizzelles;
  • Dry cereal and nut snack mixes with seasonings;
  • Roasted coffee, whole beans or ground;
  • Dry baking mixes in a jar, including cookie mix in a jar;
  • Dry herbs and herb blends;
  • Dry seasoning blends; and
  • Dry tea blends.
View the FAQs-Farmer's Markets and Cottage Food Items
A “Cottage Food Production Operation” is required to label all of their food products and include the following information on the label of each unit of food product offered or distributed for sale:
  1. The name and address of the business of the “Cottage Food Production Operation”;
  2. The name of the food product;
  3. The ingredients of the food product, in descending order of predominance by weight;
  4. The net weight or net volume of the food product;
  5. The following statement in ten-point type: “This Product is Home Produced.”
Example of Label
Cottage Food Products may only be sold in Ohio. Cottage Food Products that are properly identified and labeled may be sold directly to the consumer from the site where the products are produced; sold through grocery stores, farm markets, farmers markets; and sold and/or used in preparing food in a restaurant. Exemptions: Exemption List Document
Farm Market - is a producer operated facility where fresh fruits and vegetables and other food items are offered for sale. Farmer’s Market - a location where producers congregate to offer food items for sale.

General Information / FAQs

How often are restaurant inspected?

View the Risk Class Sheet for more information.