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C-U Restaurant Health Inspections Now Online

If you go out to eat in Champaign-Urbana, then you have probably seen the color-coded health inspection reports taped to windows or doors of your favorite restaurants that look just like this:

Restaurant Inspection Notice

These simple reports, while informative, did not provide customers with details regarding public health violations committed by the establishment.  Although all citizens are legally allowed access to such detailed reports, previously one would have to file a request under the Freedom of Information Act just to see the formal inspection.

Now the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District have made health inspection reports available online without having to make a formal request.  You can access the reports on the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s website.  There is even a search function allowing interested parties to look up their favorite restaurants by name and see their history of inspections.  This is a powerful tool for the consumer when making decisions on which restaurants to frequent, and a great opportunity for those establishments who are committed to the health of their patrons to demonstrate their commitment to food safety.

Credit goes to C-U CitizenAccess, a community online news and information project, which first broke the news about the detailed reports being public and for previously publishing such reports on their own website.  Read their full story here.