McHenry County Food Inspection Reports Now Available Online

Woodstock Ill. – The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) has launched a new feature on its website (www.mcdh.info) that provides access to food establishment inspection reports for the public. Food inspection reports from 2010 to the present are available. The website also includes information regarding how food establishment inspections are conducted and how to interpret the inspection reports.

“This webpage will help residents learn more about food safety and the inspection process,” states MCDH Public Health Administrator Mike Hill. “Our inspection process follows a scoring method. The County ordinance has guidelines that determine when a facility fails an inspection for a specific problem such as a violation for food temperature control which would increase the risk for a foodborne illness.”

Inspection reports are subject to public disclosure under the Illinois Freedom of Inspection Act (FOIA). Until now, residents wishing to view these reports have had to make FOIA requests to MCDH which provides many copies of these reports each year. Due to the limitations of the search engine, the website works best for individuals wishing to view inspection reports of specific establishments. Broader requests for inspection reports are still available through the FOIA process.

The Health Department’s Food Protection Program is responsible for permitting and inspecting over 1,275 food facilities in McHenry County. The goal is to reduce the occurrence of foodborne illness and to promote safe food practices within the community.

For more information, contact MCDH’s Environmental Health Division at 815-334-4585 or visit www.mcdh.info.

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