Photo by Sam Yu Michael Valladares, a sanitarian with the Frederick County Health Department, checks the temperature of strawberries during a restaurant inspection at Smoothie King on President's Court. The temperature needed to be less than 41 degrees and was found to be 38 degrees.
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Inspectors are checking to make sure food is properly stored and refrigerated and served in a clean, safe manner.

Diedre Moltere, a registered sanitarian, is the supervisor of inspections for the Environmental Health Services branch of the Frederick County Health Department. Moltere and her staff of five field inspectors check these establishments up to three times each year.

Last Wednesday, Moltere and Michael Valladares, also a sanitarian on staff, visited Smoothie King in Westview Corner Shopping Center on President's Court. The establishment doesn't serve heated food, so the inspection was relatively simple, Moltere said.

Inspectors visit all food service establishments, including hospitals, nursing homes, school cafeterias, child care centers, college dining halls, and traditional restaurants. Large temporary events, including fairs, festivals, carnivals, church and fire hall suppers all get inspected.

Troy Clinedinst, owner of the Frederick Smoothie King franchise, keeps a temperature log showing the temperatures of his refrigerators and freezers, a move that Health Department rules require him to do.

"He's demonstrated that he's following that," Moltere said as she looked over Clinedinst's temperature log. "His temperature log looks good. Ideally, every single one of these things is filled out."

A few were missing, but only during busy periods, Clinedinst said.

Behind the counter, one person handles money while another mixes the smoothies. These smoothies are made to order, Clinedinst said. Fresh ingredients include bananas and almonds. Most ingredients are refrigerated, frozen or powdered. Smoothie King uses protein powders, juices and enhancers to make the drinks.

A row of freezers and refrigerators with temperature indicators lines one side of the kitchen. Powdered ingredients are stored in sealed plastic bins.

Moltere watched as one of Clinedinst's employees mixed a smoothie. Blenders are rinsed with hot water between each order, and washed and sanitized each evening after the business closes.

Moltere also accompanied Clinedinst to the trash area, which is in a brick-and-wood enclosure. Clinedinst said the landlord keeps the area clean, and indeed, even on a hot summer day, there was almost no trash odor.

An inspection can take a half-hour to three hours, Moltere said. Inspectors must make sure all food service outlets meet state requirements. The most important is the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. These record cool and hot food holding temperatures, cooking and reheating temperatures of potentially hazardous food, employee health and hand-washing procedures, food source and protection information, whether hot and cold running water are on the site, and whether sewage is discharged properly.

More detailed inspections check for thawing and cooling methods; accurate labeling of foods; practices to prevent food spoilage; condition and storage of utensils and equipment; good plumbing, garbage disposal and clean bathrooms and updated licenses.

Moltere checked the bathroom of Smoothie King and found it to be clean. A clean bathroom is a good sign of a clean establishment, she said.

Besides permanent food service establishments, inspectors also check out festivals, carnivals and fundraising dinners if more than 200 people are expected. These also include food stands at the Great Frederick Fair.

The inspectors often work weekends and holidays for special events; otherwise they inspect during normal business hours. They are especially busy from May to October. October is the single busiest month.

They also inspect based on complaints. It's rare for an establishment to be closed. Usually an infraction can be fixed on the spot, Moltere said. Unless a complaint addresses an HAACP item, or a critical item, inspectors do not make an immediate visit.

All of the food inspectors are registered sanitarians, Moltere said. All have degrees in biology, chemistry or environmental science, and must pass the National Environmental Health Examination. "It's a difficult test," she said. "You must know all aspects of environmental health, even though we specialize in food."