Restaurants Face Tougher Regulations

Starting June 30, Idaho restaurants will face new requirements intended to prevent outbreaks of salmonella and other food-borne illnesses.

“I think it … will provide a certain measure of assurance to consumers that their food is, indeed, safe,” said Roger Perotto, chief of the state Bureau of Communicable Disease Prevention.

Highlights of the new rules, approved last week by the Idaho Board of Health and Welfare, include:

Education. Restaurants, grocery-store delis and other food establishments must provide every worker with training on food sanitation and safety. No such training now is required for all workers.

Penalties. If restaurants fail to clean up their act after a bad inspection, health departments can assess fines or penalties.