FOOD SAFETY
The City of Ennis Food Program is responsible for protecting the public health by inspecting for food safety in:
A food establishment health permit is required for all businesses or organizations that provide perishable foods, whether prepackaged or non-prepackaged, to the public. Permanent establishments, as well as temporary events, are required to apply for a food permit, regardless of whether there is a charge for the food.
The City of Ennis requires at least one employee that has supervisory and management responsibility to be a Certified Food Protection Manager during all hours of operation. Visit Texas Health and Human Services' Food Manager Certification page for more information on Certified Food Protection Manager recognized exams and testing agencies.
All food employees, except for the certified food manager, shall successfully complete an accredited food handling training course. Visit Texas Health and Human Services' Food Handler Training Programs page for more information on Certified Food Protection Manager recognized exams and testing agencies.
Food establishment inspections are the primary tool for detecting procedures and practices that may be hazardous. The restaurant scores are used as a tool by the City to place a value on compliance to the regulations, educate the operators, and thereby encourage corrective action. It should not be assumed that the inspection results reflect how an establishment always operates.
The City of Ennis uses a 100-point scoring system during each unannounced routine inspection. A score below 60 may be grounds for the closing of the establishment. Every violation noted is debited using a weighted scale (1 to 3) based on severity. The frequency of inspections is based on each establishment's potential "risk." The "risk" is based on type of food preparation, volume of customers and previous inspection scores. Unannounced inspections are conducted from one to four times per year based on the calculated "risk" of the establishment.