The report includes the follow-up up visit made by one of RiverStone Health’s eight sanitarians a few days after the inspection to ensure that violations have been corrected.

Higher-risk eateries, such as full-service restaurants, are inspected twice each year, while lower-risk places, such as coffee kiosks, are checked annually. Inspections are unannounced, and are described by Tapia as “a snapshot of any given day. It doesn’t necessarily reflect what they did the day before or the day after.”

That’s why health officials urge diners and shoppers to look at the results of several inspections before making any dining decisions.

“If you see four violations in one day but three zeroes before that, you might be less alarmed,” she said.

Depending on the complexity, an inspection can take 30 minutes or three hours.

“We are mindful of their busy times, but those can be the best times to inspect,” she said. “We ask a lot of questions of the person in charge or the person who’s been designated to speak to us.”