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Denver Restaurant & Food Establishment Inspections
 Denver is the host to aproximately 5,000 food businesses. These businesses include restaurants, bars, convenience stores, warehouses, manufacturing plants, bakeries, dairies, canners, bottlers, meat processors, breweries, food peddlers, food trailers, coffee shops and carts, mobile food trucks, temporary and festival food stands, hospitals, and grocery stores.
The Denver Department of Environmental Health food safety program is designed to reduce the incidence of foodborne disease, commonly called food poisoning, through inspection of food businesses, education of those working with food, investigation of complaints, enforcement of regulations that affect the safety of food, and education of consumers about food safety.
Town Hall Meeting Regarding Denver Restaurant and Food Establishment Civil Penalty Schedule and Compliance Policies
In March, the Colorado Restaurant Association (CRA) hosted a Town Hall meeting open to the Denver food industry. The purpose of the meeting was for the division of Public Health Inspections (PHI) to provide clarification and obtain feedback from the regulated community regarding compliance policies and the civil penalty schedule that was implemented at the start of 2011. Education and compliance resources available to the regulated community from the Public Health Inspection Division were also discussed.
Through the Town Hall meeting and other venues, PHI has received a wide variety of feedback from the regulated community about the changes that were implemented in 2011.
PHI continues to have a dialogue with industry on these topics, and has held several follow up meetings with industry leadership. A few of the program improvements that are under discussion include:
-creating an opt-in email system to notify restaurant owners when inspections have occurred, when fines have been assessed, and to communicate updates and emerging information via blast email
-creating an anonymous online survey available to all food facility operators to provide feedback following each inspection
-looking at the possibility of lowering inspection frequency based on an excellent compliance history
PHI is also looking for input from the public on these issues. If you have questions, concerns, or ideas relating to enforcement and compliance as they apply to regulated food facilities in the City & County of Denver, please contact PHI at phicomments@denvergov.org.
Denver Restaurant and Food Establishment Compliance Requirements
Food businesses must comply with regulations intended to protect the food they store, prepare, and sell so that it is safe for consumers. Food regulations are set forth in the Denver Revised Municipal Code, Chapter 23. The regulations are approved by the Board of Environmental Health. Food businesses must comply with the City and County of Denver Retail Food Establishment Regulations. Manufacturers and wholesale food businesses may be required to comply with rules and regulations set forth by other regulatory agencies. Food businesses that fail to comply with applicable rules and regulations may be subject to Civil Penalties and Enforcement Actions.
Denver Restaurant and Food Establishment Licensing Requirements
All food businesses must maintain a current Denver Business and Professional license through the Department of Excise and Licenses. The Department of Excise and Licenses can help determine which license is appropriate for your food business.
For more specific questions, please contact us at 720-913-1311 or 311 in the Denver Metro area. You may also contact the department at phicomments@denvergov.org
Health Inspector Impersonator Uses new Techniques - Posted July 12, 2011
The Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) has received reports of suspicious health inspector fraud that indicates individuals perpetrating these schemes are using new techniques to attempt to gain information from businesses.
The CIAC does not have information indicating why these individuals are perpetrating this type of fraud. Although these types of schemes have been used in other states as a way to extort money from business owners, there has been only one known case where the callers have asked Colorado businesses for bank account numbers. The CIAC is requesting that businesses that receive similar calls or health inspectors who receive similar reports send that information to the CIAC.
Additional information regarding this scheme may be obtained from the CIAC Request For Information.
Basic Food Safety and Sanitation
Basic Food Safety and Sanitation Class will be held on Wednesday, May 9th, and Wednesday, August 8th, both from 2:00 - 4:30 PM. All food handlers should be able to answer basic food safety questions related to the duties they perform in the food facility. Owners and managers of restaurants are responsible for educating their employees. Can your employees demonstrate a thorough understanding of these food safety principles? If not, consider registering your staff for training in Basic Food Safety and Sanitation.
The curriculum of this class is focused on factors that are most likely to cause food borne illness. Topics to be covered in class include: proper cooling techniques, pre-cooking and advance preparation, reheating techniques, and safe holding temperatures for potentially hazardous food. Personal hygiene and sanitation techniques are also covered in the class. The cost for this training is $10 per person.
Mail the completed registration form found on the Food Safety Class Brochure with your payment, to the address below. Registration should be mailed at least one week prior to the class date to ensure there are an adequate number of participants to hold the class. You may also deliver the registration form and payment to the offices of the Public Health Inspections Division at 200 W. 14th Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80204.
This class can be conducted at your facility if you have five (5) or more participants.
If you have additional questions about the class, contact us at 311 in Denver, 720-913-1311 outside of Denver.
Food Safety Inspection Resources & Forms
Food Safety Inspection Resources and Forms include information regarding self-training programs for operators to use with their staff, construction and remodeling, building a HACCP plan, Temporary Retail Food Establishment operation and forms, and Mobile Retail Food Establishment operation and forms. Some of the materials are available, upon request, in Microsoft Word for operators to modify for their use. Information requests may be made by calling 311 in Denver, 720-913-1311 outside of Denver, or through email at phicomments@denvergov.org
Outdoor Dining with Dogs
Denver Pollution Prevention Partners
Denver Pollution Prevention Partners is an Environmental Business Assistance Program designed to help your business with environmental permitting and compliance, identify opportunities for waste reduction through audits and consultation, implement improved management practices to reduce air pollution emissions and discharges that impact water quality and to conserve water and energy.
This FREE, NON-REGULATORY, confidential assistance is available to any business in the City and County of Denver.
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Food Safety and Sanitation Complaints
Investigations are conducted for all complaints related to the food safety and sanitation in regulated food businesses. Food safety complaints about food establishments are investigated to ensure that food businesses are compliant with rules and regulations. Complaints are accepted by contacting 311 in Denver, 720-913-1311 outside of Denver, or by email at phicomments@denvergov.org
Complaints about items regulated by other agencies (i.e. USDA, FDA) may be referred to those agencies by the department.
Foodborne Illness Complaints
Specialized investigations are conducted for complaints related to illness from the food or beverage. Complainants are interviewed about their symptoms to help determine the cause of the illness. If you believe you are suffering from a foodborne illness, please contact us at 311 (Denver Residents), 720-913-1311 (Outside the Denver Metro Area) or phicomments@denvergov.org An inspector who specializes in these investigations will contact you regarding your concern. Be prepared to provide information including meals eaten in the 3 days leading up to the illness, the symptoms and when each one started, interactive activities, employment, travel, and contact with other people who are ill. The department appreciates the time and cooperation of those who report foodborne illnesses.
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