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Food Safety Program

The Food Safety Program at the Pueblo City-County Health Department is dedicated to the promotion of safe food handling practices to reduce and prevent food borne illness that may be transmitted through commercial food establishments to customers in Pueblo County.

Retail food establishments are inspected using a 15-item inspection form covering all food safety aspects of the operation.  These inspections are routinely conducted either once or twice a year, based on the type of facility.  Food processors and food storage facilities are inspected once every 2 years by the Pueblo City-County Health Department.  These facilities are inspected at other times by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment staff. This program has also taken on the inspection duties at the Colorado State Fair Grounds.

Retail food establishments are inspected and charged fees under rules and regulations as promulgated under the authority of Colorado Revised Statutes 25-4-1601, 25-5-420, 25-1-107(p) and 25-1-108(c)(I).

Other state laws which are used and designed to protect the health of the people in the State of Colorado are Title 25-5-401 through 25-5-425, the Pure Food and Drug Law and 21 CFR 110 – Current Good Manufacturing Practice In Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food.  The local ordinance which deals with food handling is Title IX, Chapter 4, enabling us to revoke city food dealer permits and gives added enforcement powers to ensure compliance with public health laws for food handling.

Law for new and extensively remodeled retail food establishments also requires plan reviews.  Such reviews are done by the plan review team and are coordinated with the Pueblo Regional Building Department and the local Fire Department. When a facility changes its ownership, a new retail food license is issued.  When this occurs, the Pueblo City-County Health Department co-inspects with the Pueblo Regional Building Department and the Fire Department to verify compliance with building, health and fire codes.  A separate licensing inspection may also be necessary.