The environmental health inspector oversees the consumer's interests: "If a restaurant sells feta pizza, then there must be genuine Greek feta in the kitchen"

At work in Riksu, there is a story series in which the employees of the city of Riihimäki talk about their work.

If a restaurant advertises that it sells feta cheese pizza, then the kitchen must have authentic Greek feta. A cheaper salad cheese of the same type will not work. If there is parmesan risotto on the menu, then there must be real parmesan in the fridge. And one small package is not enough, the amount of raw materials must be credible.

"Ham pizza is advertised a lot, but the filling is actually ham sausage. In my work, I monitor the interests of consumers because they cannot get into the kitchen. I am meticulous about markings, because the customer must not be deceived. Some operators consciously replace the product with a designation of origin with a cheaper raw material, but some out of ignorance," says environmental health inspector Päivi Levänti.

Levänt's area of ​​responsibility includes registered food apartments in Riihimäki and Lope, primary production of plant-based foods, nutritional supplements, farm shops, bakeries and food imports.

"A big part of my work is doing inspections in restaurants. In a restaurant that makes hundreds of dishes a day, inspections are usually carried out twice a year. On the other hand, an inspection once every three years is sufficient for a kiosk selling prepackaged food products."

Oiva helps the consumer

Oiva is a food control inspection information disclosure system that brings inspection results to consumers' attention. They are published with smiley faces on oivahymy.fi.

If Oiva smiles, food safety is good in the company. A is insightful, B is good, C needs to be corrected and D is bad. The Oiva results are on paper at the door of the restaurant or at the point of sale, so the customer can check the restaurant's food safety ratings before making a purchase decision. They must also be on the company's website.

"I always go to check unannounced. The best time is in the middle of preparing lunch, when everyone is there. I make a general observation of the operation and the employees. I once intervened when an employee was eating in the kitchen. It is not appropriate. Then I look at general hygiene, surfaces, the temperatures of cold cabinets and whether the temperatures are recorded regularly in self-monitoring. There is a lot of counseling and guidance in my work."

Levänti wears a protective jacket, hat and shoe covers for the inspections. He always takes off his watch and asks for a water point because he washes his hands first.

"At the same time, I notice the equipment. I will intervene if soap or hand-drying paper is missing from the spot."

If Levänti sees a deficiency, and notices that the operator has not understood it, he only gives a warning the first time. He inoculates for obvious mistakes, and then the Oiva grade goes down. For example, there should not be a chair with a ragged surface in the kitchen. All surfaces must be easy to clean.

In many places, disposable dyno trays are collected on the shelves for later use. Levänti intervenes here, and points out that, for example, the plastic package of minced meat is not intended for single use. Their resistance to machine washing chemicals has not been tested.

If many things are wrong, Levänti tells you to make the repairs and will do a re-inspection later.

"I have never had to close a store because of hygiene or false advertising. But I've had to issue coercive orders: a few days to put things right. First, the grade is lowered, and the next option is a fine."

The markings must be correct

Levänti also inspects the sale of nutritional supplements and the primary production of plants. Dietary supplements are, for example, vitamins, which are sold in pharmacies and health food stores. He studies their labeling and marketing. A lot of products are sold online, and the labels must be in both Finnish and Swedish. In online sales, the product information must also be as extensive as in a brick-and-mortar store.

"In the summer, I go to the countryside in Lope a lot. Last summer, at the request of the Food Agency, I took carrot samples from two farms directly from the field. They were studied for plant protection residues."

At the end of the day, there are companies that peel and pack potatoes for large farms. In these, the packaging labels and especially the country of origin are checked. If the package says Finland as the country of origin, Swedish potatoes may not be packed in that package.

Levänti has studied dairy science at the university. He has worked in different companies as a cheese researcher and product manager. Ten years ago, he was a hygienist for a year in Lebanon with the peacekeeping forces.

"I have been a health inspector in Hanko and Vantaa. I started at Riihimäki last April. I live in Helsinki, I can do remote work, but I like to be on site in Riihimäki. The pace of work and the pulse of life in a small town is a bit calmer than in Vantaa", says Levänti.

He mentions the wood-heated sauna on the shore of Lake Hirvijärvi as a really great work benefit, where it's great to go and bathe after a hard day's work. Stress disappears and you get to know other city workers on the ferries.

"The most rewarding thing about my job is that I get to instruct operators and see things move forward. I will highlight the legal provisions on which the matter is based. My work matters.”

Environmental health in South Häme

The municipalities of Etelä Häme form a cooperation area for environmental health care. Organizational responsibility lies with the city of Riihimäki, which manages the environmental health care of the municipalities of Riihimäki, Forssa, Janakkala, Hausjärvi, Lope, Tammela, Jokiointe, Humppila and Ypäjä.

The task of environmental health care is to ensure a healthy living environment and safe food for residents, as well as to organize the necessary veterinary services for domestic animals and take care of the animals' well-being. Tasks are performed by health inspectors and veterinarians.

Environmental health care monitors the quality of domestic and bathing water, the health conditions of apartments, daycare centers, beauty parlors and other public spaces. In addition, food safety, the correctness of the information given to the consumer and compliance with smoking bans are monitored.

The municipal veterinary care provides basic veterinary services and urgent veterinary assistance for production, hobby and pet animals. The joint reception of Riihimäki's two veterinarians is in Peltosaari.

The out-of-hours veterinary emergency is only intended for those who need urgent help. The veterinarian on duty is responsible for the care of small and large animals in the entire area. The veterinary emergency point is either in Riihimäki or Jokioini.

The duties of veterinary care also include animal welfare control, animal disease control and prevention (for example avian flu), inspections and certificates related to the import and export of animals.

Reija Ypyä