Inspections of food establishments are carried out under a maze of regulations that can vary from state to state, county to county and even town to town.

Around this region:

Philadelphia

A risk-based program that is being phased in over 18 months places food establishments in four categories:

• Low-risk operations with "limited food handling" (such as a pharmacy) will be inspected once a year.
• Medium-risk eateries that prepare food "for immediate sale or service" (doughnut shop, mobile food cart) also will be scheduled annually.
• High-risk places that prepare "a wide variety" of foods (full-service restaurants) will be inspected twice a year.
• Critical-risk operations that prepare food for "highly susceptible populations" (schools, prisons, nursing homes) or use a "specialized food process" (sushi bars) will be inspected quarterly.

New Jersey

The state adopted a risk-based approach to inspections in 2007 and required local health departments to begin using its new format last year.

The Department of Health and Senior Services is considering a regulatory change that would set minimum frequencies based on risk - full-service restaurants and institutional kitchens twice a year, simpler restaurants annually, and sellers of prepackaged food less than once a year.

Currently, inspections are required at least annually.

Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties: County health departments largely follow the state minimums.*

Pennsylvania

A risk-based approach was adopted by the state in 2003, although jurisdictions with their own health departments have their own rules.

Pending state legislation would encourage variations in frequency of inspections - mainly by allowing fewer inspections of lower-risk places, which could free up resources for more visits to higher-risk establishments.

Inspections now are required at least once a year.

Bucks County: Adopted a risk-based approach in 2004. Operations that sell prepackaged foods or have limited menus are inspected annually; full-service restaurants and institutions, twice a year.

Chester County: Follows risk-based guidelines. Routine inspections are conducted annually.*

Delaware County: Inspections in eight municipalities are done by the state Agriculture Department based on the once-a-year,* risk-based approach it uses statewide. The remaining 41 municipalities do their own inspections.

Montgomery County: Has followed risk-based guidelines since the 1990s. Sellers of prepackaged food are inspected once a year; all others, twice a year.

- Don Sapatkin

* Regardless of local guidelines, most schools nationwide are inspected at least twice a year, a requirement for participation in the federal school lunch program.