Food Safety
In Saskatchewan, public health inspectors employed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority inspect restaurant-type facilities, food processing facilities and slaughter plants. They are also involved in other food activities such as farmers' markets, food retail, food distribution and home food processing operations to investigate complaints or potential food borne illness linked to these activities.
1. Food Safety Program
Food safety is everyone's responsibility including:
- Producers
- Processors
- Transporters
- Retailers
- Food facilities
- Food regulators
- Individuals preparing food for themselves or their family and friends
Food may become contaminated along the 'field to fork continuum' and make people sick.
The contaminants may be:
- Biological (e.g. bacteria, viruses, moulds or parasites)
- Physical (e.g. glass or metal fragments)
- Chemical (e.g. cleaners, disinfectants, pesticides)
Safe food products result when using:
- Wholesome food
- Good food handling practices
- Properly designed, constructed and equipped food facilities
The goal of a food safety inspection program is to:
- Prevent or minimize the risk of food-borne illness (sometimes referred to as food poisoning)
- Reduce safety hazards through education and enforcement by public health inspectors
2. Restaurant-type Facilities
Restaurant-type facilities prepare and serve food to the public for immediate consumption. They include, but are not limited to:
- Dining rooms
- Fast food outlets
- Caterers
- Mobile food vendors
- Ice cream stands
- Concession booths
- Public cafeterias
These facilities are licensed to operate under The Food Safety Regulations.
Public health inspectors ensure restaurant-type facilities operate according to The Food Safety Regulations and supporting standards.
Restaurant Inspections
Find up-to-date information from public health inspection reports is available for over 5,000 restaurant type facilities across Saskatchewan.
3. Food Processing Facilities
Food processing facilities prepare food that is not for immediate consumption. Food processing facilities include, but are not limited to:
- Bake shops
- Cheese processing facilities
- Canneries
- Bottling plants, including water bottling operations
- Ice plants
- Facilities that process cereals and grains, spices and seasonings, and fats and oils
These facilities may be licensed to operate under The Food Safety Regulations.
Public health inspectors inspect food processing facilities to ensure they are operating according to The Food Safety Regulations and supporting standards. They look for conditions that may directly or indirectly cause food-borne illness (e.g. temperature control, safe food handling practices and water quality).
4. Home Food Processing
In general, "low risk" foods do not require temperature control for safety and do not cause food-borne illness if handled properly. Examples of "low risk" foods include but are not limited to baked goods such as bread, cakes, fruit pies, jam, jelly, candy and pickled vegetables.
The Home Food Processing Fact Sheet was developed to:
- inform the home processor about The Food Safety Regulations;
- assist the home food processor in safe food production; and
- identify known "low risk" food items.
5. Slaughter Plants
Slaughter plants are food facilities where animals (for example, cattle, pigs or poultry) are slaughtered and the meat is cut into retail cuts or processed (for example, sausages or jerky) for sale to the public.
Public health inspectors inspect slaughter plants to ensure they operate according to The Sanitation Regulations and supporting standards.
The inspection focuses on:
- General cleanliness
- Proper food handling practices
- Construction
- Water quality
- Sewage disposal systems
- Temperature controls
Slaughter plants are licensed to operate under these regulations.
6. Milk Plants
Milk plants are food facilities where raw milk is pasteurized, and can also be where milk and milk products are produced.
Public health inspectors inspect milk plants to ensure they operate according to The Food Safety Regulations and supporting standards.
The inspection focuses on:
- General cleanliness;
- Proper pasteurization practices;
- Construction;
- Water quality;
- Sewage disposal systems;
- Temperature controls;
- Proper food handling practices; and
- Testing parameters.
7. Public Health Complaints
Public health inspectors are responsible for investigating complaints from the public about food facilities such as restaurants, food processing facilities and slaughter plants. They consider the regulations and the public health risk, before deciding how to address any concerns.
Call the public health inspector in your area with concerns about a food facility that you feel is operating below acceptable standards, or to report a recent illness that you feel may be linked to food consumed at a particular facility or event.