Scan Codes for Easy Access to Food Facility Inspection Reports

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

Always pushing for transparency and innovative ways of easing the public’s access to information, Kern County Environmental Health Services turned to new technology to fulfill these demands. The California Retail food Code requires that food facilities keep a copy of their most recent inspection report on hand for the public to view. The County additionally posts the most current inspections online via a search engine on their website. Although this is a useful tool for the public to have at its disposal, it is probably not the most convenient. Residents are most likely to look for an inspection report as they are standing in front of a restaurant trying to decide whether or not to eat there. QR (Quick Response) codes, a new technology that is rapidly gaining ground in providing a quick and easy way to disseminate information, presented itself as a simple and effective solution. With QR codes, one can take existing technology (such as hyperlinks) and package the URL in a small, compact code that can be easily scanned with one of the many, widely available, free QR scan apps for Smartphones. Further, since QR code will merely contain a hyperlink that need not change at all, it means that the sticker containing the code does not need to be changed regularly either, and the information available through the link provided is able to be updated daily.