Food Protection Services
The Metro Public Health Department's Food Division provides protection from the threat of foodborne illnesses by conducting inspections among Davidson County's food service establishments (restaurants, snack bars, and school cafeterias) and retail food stores (groceries). During the year over 13,000 inspections are conducted by the Health Department’s Food Protection staff.
The program conducts unannounced food inspections, at least twice each year, among more than 4,600 food establishments in the county. The program uses a FDA-approved standardized 44-point food service establishment inspection process.
The best food inspection score is 100 points. Any establishment with a critical violation must be re-inspected within ten days. An establishment's food permit can be revoked if it has the same critical violation(s) debited on three consecutive regular inspections.
View the food safety tutorial.
Weekly food inspection scores. Each Wednesday the Metro Health Department web site lists restaurants with the three lowest scores below 60 points, and the three highest scores 85 points and above.
You can view and download informative food safety posters. Posters available are:
Mobile Food Unit Regulations
Other food safety links: