BLOOMINGTON - Larry Carius and the seven sanitarians of the McLean County Health Department stand between you and foodborne illness. "They keep everybody in line," said Tony Smith, co-manager of Lucca Grill. | Q&A: Ins and outs of local restaurant hygiene | Search scores of McLean Co. eateries

Carius is the supervisor of the county health department's food program. He and his staff inspect all establishments that serve food - while they are being built and while they are operating - to make sure they follow state and county food safety regulations.

"We are trying to prevent foodborne illness," Carius said. "We've been through foodborne illnesses and they are not pretty."

A foodborne illness, sometimes called food poisoning, is an acute gastrointestinal infection caused by eating food that is contaminated by bacteria. Often, the food becomes infected because it has been improperly stored or prepared.

Outbreaks are rare in McLean County, thanks in part to the work of the sanitarians. While most cases involve diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and chills that pass after a few days, foodborne illnesses may be life-threatening.

Carius recalled a case of botulism - a rare but serious foodborne illness - at a Peoria restaurant several years ago. One person died, 28 were hospitalized and the restaurant went out of business.

"That's an extreme example," said Bob Keller, director of the McLean County Health Department. "But it illustrates that a foodborne illness may go beyond a minor inconvenience. People who have compromised immune systems (and get a foodborne illness) can be hospitalized and die."

Carius recently marked 40 years with the health department. He was a field sanitarian and senior sanitarian before he was named food program supervisor in 1984.

"Larry has the best interest of the public health in mind. He knows the code and is good to deal with," said Rich Zeller, owner of Avanti's Italian Restaurant, 407 S. Main St., Normal.

Zeller said the sanitarians are professional.

"It's a partnership between us and the sanitarians, as opposed to 'Look out, the inspectors are here,'" Zeller explained.

"A lot of it is us understanding where they're coming from and complying with their request to provide safety for the consumers, as opposed to questioning them," Zeller said.

Smith, of Lucca Grill, 116 E. Market St., Bloomington, agreed.

"They are on top of what needs to be done," said Smith, who has been in the restaurant business for 18 years. "As long as you're doing your job, you get along with the health department just fine. You want safe food and so do they."

Carius and the county sanitarians have other responsibilities as well, including inspecting private sewage systems, on-site waste water systems, potable water, tanning salons and well water.

But 55 to 60 percent of their work involves food inspections, Carius said.

Sanitarians don't just inspect restaurants. They also inspect supermarkets, taverns, schools, nursing homes, day care centers, temporary food establishments - any public place that serves food. They use state and county codes and look for such things as where sinks and dishwashing machines are located, the temperature in refrigerators, the condition of dry storage areas, the level of lighting, and how easily floors, walls and ceilings may be cleaned.

Carius' work begins when a facility representative submits plans for a restaurant, supermarket or other place that serves food.

"We do a plan review," Carius said. "That's a large part of our program. We go through 80 sets of plans a year." Carius looks for whether the equipment planned will meet the food codes.

Plans are everything from detailed packets from a large chain restaurant to hand-drawn plans from someone who has worked at a restaurant but now wants to own one.

People who don't understand the food program are urged by Carius to seek outside expertise in restaurant and commercial kitchen design. Experienced restaurant people usually know what's required in plans, he said.

"It's less expensive and more efficient to do a thorough plan review rather than having a foodborne illness investigation later," Keller said.

After the plan is approved, Carius or one of his sanitarians stop by the facility as it's being built.

"Restaurants are expensive," he said. "What I don't like to do is to make a final inspection and realize that there are mistakes that need to be corrected and which could cost the company thousands of dollars."

After the final inspection and the facility opening, sanitarians return to conduct routine, unannounced inspections. How often those are done depends on the level of risk of a foodborne illness.

Establishments that sell only pre-packed foods, such as a pharmacy, are inspected once a year. Establishments that sell a limited amount of food, such as tavern, as inspected twice a year.

Small restaurants - such as sandwich shops - are inspected three times a year. Larger restaurants and supermarkets with a deli, butcher shop or seafood counter - are inspected three to four times a year.

Sanitarians look for such things as temperature control of freezers, the temperature of cooked foods, whether kitchen staff members are washing their hands, whether there has been cross-contamination of food (such as lettuce being cut on the same surface as raw meat), and the overall cleanliness of the facility. Based on the inspection, the facility is given a score.

A non-critical problem - such as dirty floor - requires correction, but not immediately. If the problem affects food safety - such as a cockroach or rodent problem or a lack of hot water - sanitarians request that it be dealt with immediately.

"It's rare anymore that we have to close a restaurant," Keller said. "Larry uses his power of persuasion, telling the restaurant owner that it's in their best interest to close the restaurant and address the problem rather than be closed.

"Our job is not to keep a scorecard," Keller said. "Our job is to protect the public health."

Generally, the problem is addressed immediately and the restaurant is reopened. A sanitarian returns the following day to make sure the problem has been addressed.

Smith said the food program is focusing in recent years on encouraging restaurants to have all their kitchen staff members attain a food service sanitation license, rather than just supervisors.

"There's more emphasis now on training your employees," Smith said. "The focus is on the responsibility of the business itself, which is the way it should be. They (the sanitarians) can't be there watching you constantly."