Department of Agriculture
Ken Givens, Commissioner

All of our state's nearly 8,000 retail establishments that sell food are required by State law to be inspected at least once every six months to insure compliance with all laws and regulations relating to food storage, facility sanitation and safety.  Scores only provide a general indication of compliance; inspection reports better describe sanitation conditions and associated health risks and must be made available by the store to anyone requesting it.  A score below 70 requires a follow-up inspection.  Compliance standards are related primarily to:

• food protection and temperature
• employee hygiene
• water and sewage services
• toilet and hand washing facilities
• waste disposal
• pest control
• cleaning and sanitizing of food equipment and utensils
• maintenance of floors, walls, and ceilings
• sufficient lighting and ventilation  
• proper storage and display of toxic materials

To search for retail food store scores, click HERE. To see how retail food store scores are calculated, click HERE.

For More Information

For more information about our food store inspection program, or to register a complaint about food store sanitation and food safety, call toll-free 1-800-628-2631.   To access the Tenn. Dept. of Health Restaurant Inspection Scores, click HERE.