Food Inspection Terminology

General Terms

Compliance Inspection: The Food premises Regulation 562 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, sets out the minimum standards that food premises must meet. These standards relate to food temperatures, food handling, sanitation, dishwashing and personal hygiene practices. Public Health Inspectors routinely visit food premises to inspect the physical environment and equipment and observe the food handling practices to ensure the premises is operating according to the regulation.
Condemnation: Food(s) have been seized under the authority of a public health inspector and destroyed.
Convicted: A legal outcome of a charge placed before the Ontario Court of Justice in which an individual or business has either plead guilty to the charge or has been found guilty of an offence by the courts at the end of a trial. Outcome may include fines and/or court orders, or alternative sentencing.
Food Premise: Any location where food or milk is manufactured, processed, prepared, stored, handled, displayed, distributed, transported, sold or offered for sale (e.g., convenience stores, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, pizza take-out, hotdog carts, full service restaurants), but does not include a private residence.
Food Handler: An employee who handles or comes into contact with any food/utensil during its preparation, processing, packaging, service, storage or transportation.
Foodborne Illness: Foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, results from eating food or drinking beverages contaminated with bacteria (or their toxins), parasites or viruses. Salmonella and E.coli are two common forms of bacteria that cause foodborne illness.
Hazardous Food: Any food that is capable of supporting the growth of pathogenic (disease causing) organisms or the production of toxins by such organisms (e.g., foods with high levels of protein, moisture and neutral acidity like meats, dairy, and poultry).
Health Hazard: A condition of a premise; a substance, thing, plant or animal other than man; or a solid, liquid, gas or combination of any of them, that has or that is likely to have an adverse effect on the health of any person.
Infraction: The word infraction means that an eating and drinking establishment failed to meet the minimum requirements or standards outlined in the Ontario Food Premises Regulation 562. Infraction is often used interchangeably with violation or contravention.
Ontario Food Premises Regulation: The Ontario Food Premises Regulation outlines the minimum food safety standards that all operators in Ontario must meet.
Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act: The Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act, R. S. O. 990, C.H.7 (as amended) provides the structure for the organization and delivery of public health programs and services, the prevention of the spread of disease and the protection and promotion of the health of the people of Ontario.
Owner/Operator: A person who has responsibility for and control over all activities carried on in a food premise (e.g., Manager, owner, employee).
Potable Water: Drinking water of sufficient quality to be safe for human consumption.
Public Health Inspector: Public Health Inspectors are trained professionals who evaluate and monitor health and safety hazards in public places. They ensure compliance with government regulations regarding food safety, sanitation, and other environmental health issues.
Ready-to-Eat Food: Food that is edible without further washing or cooking by the food premise or the consumer (e.g., raw fruits and vegetables, previously-cooked meats like deli meat for sandwiches).
Re-inspection: Re-inspections are conducted by a public health inspector to verify that previously identified deficiencies have been corrected. Re-inspections are conducted within a period of time that is relative to the severity of the deficiency.
Sanitize: The adequate treatment of food-contact surfaces by a chemical that is effective in decreasing the number of pathogenic (disease causing) organisms to levels at which they pose no danger of causing disease.
Summons: A notice to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice regarding charges related to violations of the Health Protection and Promotion Act and the Ontario Food Premises Regulation.
Tickets: The issuance of an Offence Notice having a pre-determined fine associated with the infraction.

Food Safety Terms — Critical

Chemicals/pesticides to be stored separately from food: Chemicals and pesticides must be stored away from food products to avoid any contamination of food products.
Cold Holding: 4°C(40°F) or less: All refrigerators are storing hazardous foods at a temperature of 4°C (40°F) or less.
Cooling: 60°C(140°F) – 20°C(68°F) within 2 hours: Hot Hazardous Foods must be cooled from 60°C(140°F) to 20°C(68°F) within two hours to prevent bacterial growth.
Cooling: 20°C(68°F) – 4°C(40°F) within 4 hours: Hazardous food must be cooled from 20°C (68°F) to 4°C(40°F) within four hours to prevent bacterial growth.
Constant supply of hot and cold potable running water where applicable: Hot and cold running water must be provided to all sinks in food preparation areas.
Food handlers must use proper utensils to minimize direct hand contact with cooked or prepared foods: Proper utensils, tongs, scoops etc. are required to avoid direct hand contact with food by a food hander.
Food protection from potential contamination (e.g., food covered, labelled, off floor, sneeze guard): All foods offered for sale and/or on display are required to be wrapped, covered, or otherwise protected from potential contamination (e.g., sneeze guards). All stored foods are to be dated with an expiration date or date of preparation and must be stored at least 15 cm (6 in.) off the floor.
Freezing -18°C(0°F) or less: All freezers are storing all hazardous foods at a temperature of -18°C (0°F) or less.
Hot holding: minimum of 60°C(140°F) after cooking/rapid re-heating: All hazardous foods that are cooked or reheated and are being held hot are required to be held at a minimum temperature of 60°C (140°F) (e.g., hot buffets, steam tables).
Maintain separation of ready-to-eat foods from raw food preparation surfaces or utensils: Food handlers must prevent raw foods from contaminating ready to eat foods by using separate preparation areas, cutting boards and utensils.
Re-heating to original cooking temperature within 2 hours: All cooked hazardous foods must be re-heated to their minimum internal cooking temperature in 2 hours or less.
Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat foods during handling and storage: Raw foods must be kept in covered containers and stored on separate shelves below or away from ready-to-eat foods.
Thermometers used to verify food preparation and storage temperature: A probe thermometer is used to verify the minimum internal temperature of cooked/ reheated or hot held foods.
Thorough cooking to minimum internal food temperatures for at least 15 seconds: Hazardous meats are required to be cooked to a minimum internal temperature that is specific to the type of meat involved.
Washing hands thoroughly before and after handling food: Food Handlers must wash their hands between tasks (e.g., commencing work, handling food, using the washroom, smoking, cleaning, etc.).

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Food Inspection Terminology

General Terms

Food Safety Terms — Critical