The Consumer

The health grading system allows consumers to know what level the restaurant is running at in an easy and effortless way.  Since the general public is unable to go and inspect the cleanliness of the kitchen and food preparation, the grades allow everyone to know what is really going on behind the scenes.  With safety and health in mind the letter grade is posted as a warning to customers interested in the restaurant.

  • Some consumers may choose to ignore the grades posted at the entrance of the restaurants.  However, some take these very seriously and it plays a large role in the overall perception of the restaurant.
  • Paying attention to restaurant grades can be a useful tool in staying away from potential hazards to ones health.

 


Health Effects  
The health grading system has improved the issue of public health by reducing food-borne illness in the county.

  • In a 2005 Journal of Environmental Health issue a study was done on these effects. "The authors found that restaurant hygiene cards were associated with a 13.1 percent decrease in the number of people hospitalized with food-borne diseases" (Simon et al.,2005).
It is now important as a consumer to consider the health warnings that the grading system shows. With a raising of awareness towards the grades means people are starting to realize they do run a risk of eating at restaurants that are not up to standard.


"In a survey of two thousand county residents conducted from 2001 found that...65% of respondents were influenced in their selection of food facilities by letter grades always or most of the time" (J.E. Fielding, personal communication, January 28, 2008) 


"A total of 2,927 food borne-disease hospitalizations were identified in Los Angeles County, accounting for 31 percent of all food borne disease hospitalizations in California during the period 1993-200" (Simon et al., 2005).
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