Health Department

Food Inspection Program

The Metropolitan Public Health Department Food Inspection Program is a retail food protection agency. The department has contracts with two state agencies to conduct food inspections within Nashville/Davidson County. One contract is with the Tennessee Department of Health, which requires our department to inspect all of the food service facilities in the county. The second contract is with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, which requires our staff to inspect all food stores in the county. The department is required by law to inspect each permitted establishment at least twice per year.

Currently, there are approximately 3,200 food service establishments and over 900 retail food stores with food permits within Davidson County.

During the fiscal year 2006/2007, over 13,000 inspections were conducted by the Health Department’s Food Protection Services staff.

Our program consists of four parts:

1. Inspections
2. Plan Review
3. Foodborne disease investigation
4. Training

The primary goal of the Retail Food Protection Program is to raise the food protection awareness in Davidson County to a higher level, and by doing so, help eliminate the possibility of food poisoning from occurring.

The food protection awareness level will be raised through effective training. Realizing this, we have established several types of training that are free of charge.

A. Basic Food Protection Training

Click here to view the 2009 Training Schedule

B. Food Protection for High School Classes

Knowing that many students will eventually work in restaurants, a short 45 minute food protection program presentation for high school home economics and health awareness classes was developed and is now offered.

C. Food Protection for Churches, Clubs, & Civic Groups

More than half of all food poisoning cases each year occur as a result of food mishandled at home.
We offer a short presentation geared toward food protection in the home.
NOTE: Please call (615) 340-5620 to make arrangements to receive one of these presentations

If you have any questions concerning our Retail Food Protection Program call (615) 340-5620.