LEONARDTOWN, MD (April 5, 2023) – The St. Mary’s County Health Department announced recipients of the 2022 Gold Star Awards given annually to food service facilities that achieve superior food safety standards. One hundred and seven award recipients were recognized at a ceremony held April 3 in Leonardtown by the St. Mary’s County Health Department. The award recipients make up approximately 20% of St. Mary’s County’s licensed food service facilities.
The Gold Star Program has recognized food establishments for superior food safety practices since the program’s inception in 2007. Environmental health specialists at the health department regularly inspect over 500 food service facilities in St. Mary’s County to ensure food safety is being adequately addressed. During 2022 over 1400 inspections were conducted.
“These food establishments deserve recognition for achieving such high standards for their attention to food safety and sanitation,” stated Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer. “We appreciate their extra dedication to ensure our community members can not only enjoy their food, but also have confidence in its safe preparation.”
The food establishments that achieve this high level of compliance receive a certificate and a window sticker designating them as Gold Star establishments. The requirements to earn a Gold Star are:
- No critical violations (based on COMAR 10.15.03)
- No temperature violations cited during a monitoring inspection
- All violations noted by an inspector must be corrected by a 30-day follow-up inspection
- No confirmed unsafe food handling complaints
- At least one food service worker completed a recognized and approved “Food Service Sanitation and Safety Class” within the last two years
For more information about the Gold Star Program and for a list of the 2022 Gold Star Award winners, please visit the health department’s website at smchd.org/gold-star/.
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