Food Protection Services
The Metro Public Health Department's Food Division provides protection from
the threat of foodborne illnesses by conducting inspections among Davidson
County's food service establishments (restaurants, snack bars, and school
cafeterias) and retail food stores (groceries). During the year over
13,000 inspections are conducted by the Health Department’s Food
Protection staff.
The program conducts unannounced food inspections, at least twice each year,
among more than 4,100 food establishments in the county. The program uses a
FDA-approved standardized 44-point food service establishment inspection
process.
The best food inspection score is 100 points. Any score of 69 and below is
considered a failing score. Any establishment with a critical violation must be
re-inspected within ten days. An establishment's food permit can be revoked if
it has three consecutive scores below 70 points with the same critical
violations on each of the three inspections.
Take the Safe at Home Plate Food Safety Quiz and view the food safety tutorial.
Weekly food inspection scores. Each Wednesday the Metro Health Department web site lists restaurants with the three lowest scores below 60 points, and the three highest scores 85 points and above.
Click on the following link to view informative food safety posters. Posters available are:
Food temperature requirements (249 KB)
Hand washing (239 KB)
Good hygienic practices (223 KB)
Three compartment sink set-up procedure (394 KB)