December 5, 2025

The simple act of dining out is an ingrained part of community life, but behind every satisfying meal is a critical layer of public health oversight. In El Paso County, El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) plays an essential and active role in ensuring the safety of food served in restaurants and other retail food establishments.

EPCPH’s Involvement in Community Food Safety

EPCPH’s commitment to community safety extends throughout the life cycle of a retail food establishment—from its inception to daily operation. EPCPH’s Environmental Health Specialists are the backbone of this effort, performing a multi-faceted role that combines regulation, education and investigation.

Licensing and Plan Review

Long before a new restaurant opens its doors, owners engage with EPCPH. Public Health is responsible for issuing licenses to retail food establishments, which include, but isn’t limited to, full-service restaurants, mobile food trucks, coffee kiosks, and grocery stores.

This process involves a mandatory Plan Review for new construction or extensive remodels. During this stage, specialists review blueprints and plans to ensure the facility’s design and equipment layout meet safety requirements for proper food handling, storage, and sanitation. This approach ensures that the establishment is built with public health standards in mind, addressing potential hazards before they become operational issues.

Education and Training

While regulation is key, EPCPH recognizes that proper training is vital for preventing foodborne illness. They contribute to the food service industry’s knowledge base by:

• Educating food handlers: Providing resources and information about proper food handling techniques.

• Encouraging certification: Facilities are typically required to have a Certified Food Protection Manager on staff, whose certification ensures a high level of knowledge in food safety practices. EPCPH may offer or approve training programs that cover critical areas like temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene

The Inspection Process: A Snapshot of Safety

The most visible aspect of EPCPH’s work is the routine inspection of retail food establishments. These inspections are a regulatory tool designed to assure compliance with the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations and state/local ordinances.

Inspection Frequency and Focus

The frequency of routine, unannounced inspections typically depend on the establishment’s risk category, which is based on factors like the complexity of food preparation, the volume of raw product handling, and its compliance history. Establishments may receive inspections one to three times per year.

During an inspection, Environmental Health Specialists focus on what are known as risk factors, those food handling practices that most often lead to foodborne illness. Key areas of evaluation include:

• Temperature Control: Ensuring potentially hazardous foods are kept out of the “temperature danger zone” (134⁰F – 42⁰F), verifying proper cooking, cooling, and reheating procedures.

• Employee Health and Hygiene: Observing handwashing practices and confirming policies are in place to prevent ill employees from working.

• Contamination Prevention: Checking for separation between raw and ready-to-eat foods, proper storage, and correct sanitizing of equipment and utensils.

• Facility and Equipment: Reviewing the cleanliness and condition of the premises, equipment, and required utility systems like plumbing and hot water.

• Food from Approved Sources: Using ingredients that are not from approved, safe suppliers can introduce risk of illness.

Investigating Complaints and Outbreaks

In addition to routine checks, EPCPH specialists also conduct complaint investigations when a member of the public reports a health concern or a suspected foodborne illness. These targeted inspections allow the department to address immediate threats. Furthermore, Public Health plays a central role in foodborne outbreak investigations, working to identify the source of contamination, prevent further spread, and implement corrective actions.

Accessing Inspection Reports:

Transparency is a cornerstone of public health, giving consumers the information they need to make informed dining choices and holding establishments accountable. EPCPH makes inspection reports publicly available.

How to Find Reports

El Paso County Public Health provides a searchable database on its website where the public can view reports, which are searchable by facility name, address, and can often be filtered by inspection result.

Understanding the Results

An inspection report serves as a snapshot of an establishment’s food safety practices at the time of the visit. Violations are categorized by risk level:

• Priority (P) Items: Provisions that directly contribute to the elimination, prevention, or reduction of hazards associated with foodborne illness (e.g., proper cooking temperatures). These often require immediate correction.

• Priority Foundation (PF) Items: Items that require the purposeful incorporation of specific actions or procedures by management to achieve control of risk factors (e.g., lack of soap at a handwashing sink).

• Core (C) Items: Items that relate to general sanitation, equipment, and facility maintenance (e.g., minor plumbing issues or soiled non-food contact surfaces).

Based on the number and severity of violations, an establishment’s inspection result may be categorized as Pass, Re-Inspection Required, or, in severe cases involving an imminent health hazard, Closed. When violations are found, the business is required to address them promptly, with follow-up inspections scheduled to verify compliance.

By upholding strict standards, providing essential education, and maintaining a high degree of transparency, El Paso County Public Health remains a vital safeguard for the community, ensuring that every dining experience is a safe one.