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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Food Safety and Sanitation

Florida Department of Health in Gadsden County

The Food Hygiene Program is designed to ensure that facilities regulated by the Florida Department of Health in Gadsden County serve food, beverages, and snacks in a safe and sanitary manner and minimize the occurrence of food related illness. There are 5 state agencies that license and regulate food service facilities.

  • Department of Health (see below)
  • Department of Business Regulation (inspects restaurants)
  • Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (inspects grocery stores and food outlets)
  • American Health Care Association (inspects Hospitals and Nursing Homes)
  • Department of Children and Families (inspects Child Care Centers)

The Department of Health regulates food service establishments as defined under Chapter 64E-11 of the Florida Administrative Code. 

These include:

  • Schools, Public & Private
  • Civic & Fraternal Organizations
  • Theatre Concessions
  • Group Residential Facilities
  • Bars and Lounges that do not prepare food
  • After School Meal Programs
  • Adult Day Care
  • Any secondary Food Service Operations on any of these sites including Vending Machines
  • Summer Feeding sites
  • Other limited food facilities not regulated by DBPR, DACS, AHCA or DCF.

The Department of Health also investigates suspected food borne illness cases in all establishments

Health, Safety and Sanitation Requirements

All change of ownership or new bars that do not serve food, assisted living facilities and schools must get approval from the Department of Health before operating.  Health, Safety and Sanitation requirements must be met in order to obtain approval from the Division of Environmental Health.  The online forms are located below for the requirements for each type of facility and need to be part of your plan review.

Chapter 64E-11 F.A.C. Rules.pdf (260 KB)

Plan Review Document.pdf (1mb)

Application for a Department of Health Food Certificate.pdf (12 KB)

All of these files are in pdf format. Once the application and the plan review documents are completed, submit them to your local county health department's environmental health section with a set of plans drawn to scale, accompanied with the applicable plan review and permit fees.  Florida Statute 381.0072 is available from the Florida Legislature's web site. Selecting this link will open the statute from their site in a new browser window

The food hygiene inspection form is DH 4023 (652 KB PDF file opens in new window). This form is completed during an inspection by the local county health department inspector. To request a more accessible version of this file please contact the Facility Programs Section, 4052 Capital Circle SE, BIN A08, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-1710, or call (850) 245-4277.

Furthermore the following paperwork needs to be part of your plan review:

  • A floor plan with all sinks and toilets marked
  • A water bill (if facility is serviced by Public Sewer) or an Existing System Review (if the facility is serviced by an Onsite Sewage System)

Please bring the entire plan review to:

Florida Department of Health in Gadsden County

278 LaSalle LeFall Drive

Quincy, FL 32351

(850) 875-7200

Food Borne Diseases

Our office receives complaints from citizens and reports from doctors concerning if an outbreak has occurred. Although a single isolated complaint is not enough to prove that an outbreak has occurred, it is important that it be reported. When combined with other isolated reports, we are often able to determine that an outbreak has occurred.

When necessary, a specialist from the Environmental Health Division of the local Health Department will conduct an onsite investigation of any facility where a suspected food borne or waterborne outbreak may have occurred. Samples may be gathered, the operation reviewed, and people questioned in order to determine the source of the disease and corrective action necessary to prevent further outbreaks from occurring.

If you think you have become ill from eating in a food service facility, report it to our office immediately by calling 850-875-7200 or go online where complaints can be filed following the links at the bottom of the page.

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