Overview

In order to promote and protect the public’s health and ensure that the county’s food supply is safe and sanitary, all persons that prepare and serve food to the public or sell packaged foods that require temperature control for safety are permitted and inspected by the Brooke County Health Department.

There are currently over 450 permitted food establishments in Brooke County.  These include facilities such as restaurants, bars, grocery stores, school cafeterias, hospital cafeterias, day care kitchens, stadium concession stands, mobile food units (food trucks), farmer’s markets and temporary food establishments.

Environmental Health is responsible for promoting and protecting the public’s health by ensuring that the county’s food supply is safe and sanitary. The environmental health staff is trained on the 2013 FDA Food Code and is well versed on the inspection process as well as educating food facility management and the consumer. The BCHD food safety program’s number one goal is to help protect the public from food borne illness.

The Brooke County Board of Health requires all employees employed in the food service industry to obtain a food handler card within one week of employment in a food service establishment. The Board encourages volunteer organizations who provide food service at fairs, festivals, and special events to take advantage of this opportunity to learn the basics of safe food handling as well.

Food Handlers Online Course

Food Safety

The CDC estimates that 1 in 6 Americans, over 48,000,000 people, get sick from food every year.   128,000 of them are hospitalized and 3,000 die every year from foodborne illness (food poisoning.)

Protect yourself and your family from foodborne illness by using the 4 core practices:

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Clean

  • Wash your hands before preparing food and anytime you touch raw meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or any unclean surface.
  • Wash all utensils (cutting boards, knives, bowls, etc.) before using them to prepare food.
  • Wash all vegetables and fruits before eating or cooking them.

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Separate

  • Store raw meat, chicken, fish, and eggs separate from cooked foods, vegetables, and ready to eat foods (like milk, cheese or deli meats.)  You should also store any raw meat, chicken, fish, or eggs on the bottom shelf or your refrigerator, or below any cooked foods, vegetables, or ready to eat foods.
  • Use separate utensils for preparing raw foods and cooked foods or vegetables (don’t cross-contaminate.)

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Cook

  • Cook all foods thoroughly.
    • Click here to download a chart with recommended cooking temperatures.
  • Use a food thermometer to make sure it’s done.

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Chill

  • Keep cold foods cold: 40°F (5°C) or below.
  • Refrigerate leftovers quickly.
  • Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator – Not at room temperature!

Food and Retail Establishment Permits

All  Food Establishments that are new, being renovated, or have a change of ownership must go through the plan review process.  This starts with filling out a new establishment plan review that can be found below.

All Food Establishments are required to follow West Virginia 64 CSR 17 – The Legislative Rule for Food Establishments.  This rule also incorporates the the 2013 FDA Food Code by reference.  It is recommended that you download and keep a copy of the Legislative Rules and the 2013 FDA Food Code at your establishment.

Once plans are approved, you must schedule an inspection with a Sanitarian.  They will inspect your Food Establishment to make sure that it meets the 2013 FDA Food Code and that it can be operated in a safe an sanitary manner.

Every  Food Establishment must have at least one person that is a Certified Food Protection Manager.  If the Food Protection Manager is not on duty, there must be someone in charge at the facility.  All employees must have a current Food Handler’s Card.  A food permit application may be found below.

Temporary Food Establishment Permits

Temporary food establishments are food vendors that set up at special events such as fairs, festivals, and football games.

All temporary food establishments must be operated in conjunction with a fair, festival, football game, or other special event.  A temporary food establishment permit is valid for a maximum of 14 days at the location where it is issued.

All persons that wish to operate a temporary food establishment must submit an application to the Health Department at least 7 days prior to the event.

Temporary food establishments are required to follow the 2013 FDA Food Code.  It is recommended that you download a copy of the 2013 FDA Food Code.

All employees at a temporary food establishment must have a current food handler’s card.

All temporary food establishments must be inspected by a Sanitarian from the Health Department before they start serving food to the public.

To help insure a problem free inspection, all temporary food establishments should make sure that they have the following:

1. A hand washing station
2. A utensil washing station (if multi-use utensils are used)
3. Sufficient cold and hot holding (depending on the foods served)
4. Single use gloves
5. Sanitizer and test strips
6. A stem thermometer for checking food temperatures

 Brooke County Health Department does have the ability to take payments over the phone for permits at 304-737-3665.

Food Protection Manager Certification:

As of July 1, 2019, West Virginia adopted the 2013 Food Code.  The 2013 food code requires all food establishments to have ONE Food Protection Manager.  This is separate from all employees being required to have a food handlers card.  There are several different options on how to obtain the food protection manager certification.  Below are some options for companies that provide this training.  State Food Safety and ServSafe are online programs and testing must be completed at a proctoring center.  West Virginia Northern College also conducts an in person class and test for this certification.

 

ServSafe – ServSafe Manager – the test for this course must be taken at a certified proctor location.

West Virginia Northern Community College also hosts an in person class through their continuing education.  WVNCC’s Continuing Education Program offers the ServSafe Food Manager Certification program to meet the needs of the community.  To request more information or to enroll in the course, please contact Kaeden Rustemeyer, Administrative Assistant for the Economic and Workforce Development Program at WVNCC at 304-214-8968 or [email protected].

NOTICE:

WV CSR 64-17-3.1.b extends the deadline for food establishments to obtain a certified food protection manager until December 31, 2020 due to Covid-19.

 

 

Attachments

Food Permit Application New Establishment Plan Review Clean Air Regulation Amendment 1 Temporary Food Establishment Guidelines Mobile Food Trailer Guidelines