LEONARDTOWN, MD (April 6, 2018) – The St. Mary’s County Health Department announced recipients of the 2017 Gold Star Awards given annually to food service facilities that achieve superior food safety standards. Eighty award recipients were recognized at a ceremony held April 5 in Leonardtown. Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer, was joined by Commissioner President James R. Guy and Chris Kaselemis, Department of Economic Development Director, in welcoming the attendees.
The Gold Star Program has recognized food establishments for superior compliance to food safety standards with this annual award since its inception in 2007. Environmental health specialists at the health department regularly inspect over 500 food service facilities in St. Mary’s County to ensure food safety is being adequately addressed. During 2017, over 1700 inspections were conducted.
“These establishments deserve to be recognized for achieving such high standards,” stated Mark Morris, Food Safety Program Supervisor at the health department. “They have demonstrated exceptional attention to public health safety and sanitation.”
The food establishments that achieve this high level of compliance receive a certificate and a window sticker designating them as Gold Star establishments. The requirements to earn a Gold Star are:
- No critical violations (based on COMAR 10.15.03)
- No temperature violations cited during a monitoring inspection
- All violations noted by an inspector must be corrected by a 30-day follow-up inspection
- No confirmed unsafe food handling complaints
- At least one food service worker completed a recognized and approved “Food Service Sanitation and Safety Class” within the last two years
For more information about the Gold Star Program and for a list of the 2017 Gold Star Award winners, please visit the health department’s website at www.smchd.org/food-facility-inspections. To view photos of the Gold Star Awards ceremony, please visit the St. Mary’s Government’s Flickr account here.
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