Inspection Rating Scores

Click here for food inspection results.

The City of Coppell Health Department is responsible for regulating food service establishments in the City of Coppell. State law, city ordinances, and the inspection program are designed to help ensure that the community is provided with safe food and reducing the potential for foodborne illness and the spread of communicable disease.  The establishments include a wide variety of food industries such as restaurants, grocery stores, public and private schools, daycares, bakeries and deli's.  Food establishment inspections play a major role in the success of the food program.  Inspections are the primary tool for detecting procedures and practices that may be hazardous and then taking actions to correct deficiencies.

Important Notice:

The information on this web page is designed to give consumers an indication of a food establishment's sanitation level during an inspection.  The inspection results give consumers a "snapshot"  in time of an establishment's sanitation and cleanliness procedures.  It should not be assumed that the inspection results reflect how an establishment always operates.  The scores are used as a tool by the city and industry to place a value on compliance to the regulations, educate the operators, and thereby encourage corrective action.

Inspection Frequency:

The frequency of the inspections is based on each establishment's potential risk category. Risk categories include high, medium and low priority.  High priority establishments are allocated more inspection time than those with a lower priority. "Priority" is determined by analyzing the types of food served, the preparation steps these foods require, the volume of food, the populations served, and previous compliance history.  This system allows more inspections to be done in those facilities that have the greatest risk to the public. 

Violations:

If deficiencies are observed during routine inspections, they are classified as either critical, posing a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served, or non-critical, relating to the cleanliness and maintenance of the building.

Two types of violations may be cited:

Critical Violations - Violations of the Texas Food Establishment Rules that, if in noncompliance, is more likely than other violations to contribute to food contamination, illness, injury, or environmental health hazard.  Examples of critical violations include temperature abuse of food, improper cooking, cooling, refrigeration or reheating temperatures.  Other critical violations are improper handwashing, using bare hands on "ready to eat" food, and poor hygienic practices.  Such problems can create environments that cause bacteria to grow and thrive, which puts the consumer at risk for food-borne illness.

Non-Critical Violations - Violations of the Texas Food Establishment Rules that are not directly related to the cause of a food-borne illness, but if left uncorrected, could impede the operation of the restaurant.  The likelihood of food-borne illness in these cases is low.  Non-Critical violations, if left uncorrected, could lead to critical violations.  Examples of non-critical violations include a lack of facility cleanliness and maintenance (floors, walls and ceilings)

Scoring:

The City of Coppell uses a demerit-based scoring system. A zero (0) on an inspection report indicates that there are no critical violations in the establishment.  The scoring system used in Coppell is based on the Texas Food Establishment Rules as follows:

• 0-3 demerits = Excellent (Generally superior in food handling practices).
• 4-10 demerits = Good (Generally good in food handling practices). 
• 11-19 demerits = Acceptable (Generally acceptable in food handling practices).
• 20-30 demerits = Poor (Generally poor in food handling practices).
• 31 or more = Failing (The establishment shall immediately cease operation until corrective action on all identified critical violations is complete).

Whenever possible, critical violations found during the inspection are to be corrected immediately.  Non-critical violations do not warrant a demerit, however, the violation must be corrected within a reasonable amount of time.

Enforcement Rules:

The City of Coppell imposes the following types of enforcement actions:

SUSPENSION of a food permit: The permit is suspended and food service operations shall immediately cease if the establishment does not comply with the requirements of the Texas Food Establishment Rules, or if the operation of the food establishment constitutes a substantial hazard to public health.  A hearing is not required to suspend a permit, but the opportunity must be given for a hearing after the suspension is in effect. Closure due to an imminent public health hazard may include but are not limited to: No hot water, sewage backups, no electricity, fire, pest infestation, foodborne illness outbreak, and contaminated food.

REVOCATION of a food permit: The establishment is closed due to serious or repeated violations of the Texas Food Establishment Rules, or for interference with the regulatory authority in the performance of their duties.  Prior to revocation, an opportunity for a hearing must be given to the food establishment operator.