Editor,

We don’t normally think we are putting ourselves or our families in danger when dining out, but I was eating lunch with some fellow firefighters at a restaurant in Logan a few weeks ago and looked across from where I was sitting and saw a big patch of mold on the wall. I was surprised to see that the health department had allowed this to go on.

This mold had to have been there for weeks, perhaps months. It almost made me sick looking at it. If I had seen it before I started eating, I would have left. I won’t eat there again.

Having been in the restaurant business at one time in my life, I learned a great deal of information on food safety. I guess in one way, it has helped and hindered me when eating out. I watch to see if employees wash their hands after handling money, especially if they’re going to handle food. I also watch to see if employees going to the restroom take off their aprons, and I also watch to see if employees wash their hands after taking a smoke break. Something else I don’t like to see are employees eating while preparing food. Too picky? I don’t think so.

I don’t know if the health department still requires people handling food to still have any kind of physical exam or not. Hair nets used to be required by restaurant employees and there used to be food handling classes. I think restaurant owners and managers should have some education when it comes to food safety so they can teach employees how to handle food safely.

From what I’ve observed lately, the health department needs to once again require food handling classes for potential restaurant employees. I think it comes down to supervision. I’ve seen employees in some establishments that I wouldn’t let cook for my dog.

Food, if not handled, stored and cooked properly can not only make you very sick — it can kill you. Under-cooked food can be very dangerous. Things like botulism, e’coli, salmonela, listeria and staphylococcus are just some results of what can happen to food when not handled, packaged or cooked properly.

I don’t claim to be any kind of expert at all on food safety, but a little common sense goes a long way. If I was an owner or manager of an eating establishment, I certainly would not want to be responsible for making a customer sick … or worse.

It is not my intention to make you paranoid about dining out, I just think everybody should look around and watch for signs that your food isn’t being treated in a healthy manner. I certainly do.

Thanks, once again for allowing me to express my opinions. Dosveedonyah!

Mike Robinson

Accoville