Activities under the Food Safety standard aim to prevent and/or reduce exposure and transmission of food-borne illnesses. The OPHS and the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) dictate minimum requirements for inspection, enforcement, surveillance, and reporting under the Ontario Food Premises Regulation; and for monitoring, reporting, and responding to suspected and confirmed food-borne illnesses or outbreaks. Boards of health are also to provide food safety education, training, and certification. Examples of local data that influence program implementation include:
- In 2018, the highest rates of enteric illness reported in WEC were campylobacter enteritis (17.4 cases per 100,000 residents) and salmonellosis (12.9 cases per 100,000 residents).
- The WECHU inspected 2860 food premises in Windsor Essex County in 2018; over half (53%) of the food premises are considered high or moderate risk, which require a minimum of 2-3 compliance inspections each year.
- The WECHU trained and certified 1942 food handlers in 2018. For 2019, 1540 have been certified to date.