Lane County restaurant inspections find flies, leaking chicken liquid

Diners in Eugene and Springfield should check Lane County’s restaurant scores before they choose where to eat, because recent inspections turned up live flies and leaking chicken liquid at multiple locations. Those are the kinds of violations that matter most for everyday safety, since they point to pest access and a higher chance that food, prep surfaces or storage areas could be contaminated.

Lane County Environmental Health says it licenses and inspects restaurants and other licensed facilities countywide, and licensed restaurants receive unannounced inspections twice a year. The county also posts online inspection scores and an interactive map of local restaurants, giving customers a way to compare locations before heading out for lunch, dinner or takeout. A county video published May 2 said those checks are done unannounced every six months by Lane Environmental Health.

One caution comes with the public record itself: a current bug in Lane County Health Inspections software does not transmit repeat violations to the public. County staff are working to fix the problem, which means a restaurant’s online record may not yet show the full pattern of sanitation issues if the same violation keeps turning up. For shoppers, that makes repeat concerns especially important to watch for once the software issue is resolved.

Lane County Public Health says the inspection process is meant to benefit residents, tourists, visitors and businesses by controlling health hazards and supporting a safer dining environment. Beyond restaurants, Lane County Environmental Health also handles investigations, drinking water, domestic well issues, food handler permits, temporary food events and other programs. The office is at 151 W. 7th Ave., Room 430, Eugene, Oregon 97401, and the public phone number is (541) 682-4051.