The Food Inspection Program enforces state and local food safety regulations in over 2,000 food facilities in the city. Food facilities inspected include restaurants, markets, bakeries, school cafeterias, bars, hospital cafeterias, commissaries, mobile food preparation vehicles, packaged food trucks, food carts, food warehouses, food salvagers, and food processors. This program is also responsible for reviewing plans and performing construction progress inspections on all new or remodeled food facilities. Additionally, the Food Inspection Program inspectors regulate food operators at outdoor special events. The education of food handlers and food operators is a key component of th e program .
Inspectors stress the prevention of foodborne illness during routine inspections.
Questions Health Inspectors Health Inspectors, also know as Environmental Health Specialists, are required by California State Law to possess a Bachelors of Science degree or another baccalaureate degree with at least 30 units in science. Each inspector is assigned to a specific district within the city. There are 11 districts in the City of Long Beach. Inspectors conduct routine inspections, re-inspections, respond to consumer complaints, investigate suspected foodborne illness reports, and respond to public inquiries by phone and through the Internet. The Food Inspection Program has a target frequency of three routine inspections per year for all food facilities, with an optimum target of four per year.