FAIR FOOD MEETS HEALTH STANDARDS

None of the 52 food stands at the SEMO District Fair have been shut down by the county health department, a success that officials attribute to better education and planning.

"The inspections went very well," said Nancy Foor, an inspector with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Department. "We had everybody completed by 1:30 Sunday."

Foor said the most common instruction the health department gives to vendors is to wash down spills and wipe off tables after people eat.

"We're trying to get people to use bleach wisely and to keep spills cleaned up to keep the flies and bees away," she said.

Food vendors are inspected by the health department before they are allowed to open for business. Foor said the department rarely closes down vendors but instead helps them correct problems.

After the inspection, they are required to display the inspection results where customers can see them.

The health department conducts additional periodic checks throughout the duration of the fair.

Foor said two food safety indicators that customers should watch for are the cleanliness of the stand and the temperature of the food being served.

"If you notice a stand is dirty, I wouldn't be real enthused about buying something there," she said.

"If you're buying something that is supposed to be hot, such as meat, then it should be hot. If you think it should be cold, then it probably should be."