Food Safety Inspection Program
The Retail Food Inspection program promotes consumer health by ensuring that food manufactured or sold in Kansas is safe. The department licenses food establishments, while food safety staff inspect grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants in grocery and convenience stores, food wholesalers and warehouses, food processors and food manufacturers to verify compliance with food safety laws and regulations. Food safety staff respond to disasters involving food such as fires, floods, and power outages in licensed facilities, as well as responding to truck wrecks that involve food. Our food safety staff also investigate consumer complaints and educate industry about food safety requirements. In some cities, county health department staff, with whom we contract for that service, carry out inspections.
The Retail Food Inspection program is one component in the Department of Agriculture’s lineup of food safety programs. Combined, they provide a comprehensive network of food safety inspection and compliance. The other programs include:
The Meat and Poultry Inspection program licenses and inspects meat and poultry plants in a manner that is “equal to” federal inspection. It also responds to consumer food safety concerns involving meat or poultry products.
The Dairy Inspection program inspects dairies, milk haulers, transfer stations, pasteurization plants, bottlers, beverage manufacturers, and ice plants.
The Weights and Measures program is responsible for food safety inspections involving ice cream trucks and some types of food-dispensing vending machines.