For the fourth consecutive year, Euro Deli in Sedona has been awarded a Golden Plate by Yavapai County Community Health Services.

The award honors a strong commitment to food safety.

Winners will be announced officially at award ceremonies at the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors meetings in Prescott on March 2, and in Cottonwood on March 17, according to David McAtee, a spokesman for the county health department.

Individual winners were notified by phone by the Food Safety Council.

Other winners in Sedona are AFC Sushi [in Safeway], Angel Valley Ministries, which has won two consecutive years, Casa Sedona Inn, Precious Stones Preschool, Sedona High School, which has won three consecutive years, Sunset Chateau and Starbuck’s [Safeway], which has won two consecutive years.

Throughout the county, 203 food facilities were awarded Golden Plates, including 60 in the Sedona and Verde Valley area. Leading the way was Cottonwood, with 28 awards, Camp Verde with 11, Village of Oak Creek five, Cornville four, Clarkdale two and Jerome and Rimrock/Lake Montezuma with one each.

Last year, 173 facilities countywide won the award, 49 of which were local. There are approximately 1,240 establishments licensed in Yavapai, according to the YCCHS website. In addition to restaurants, those include everything from food trucks to schools to coffee shops and senior living facilities.

The Golden Plate Award was established in 2004 as a joint effort of YCCHS, the Yavapai County Food Safety Industry Council, and the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension Office. Together they developed three criteria for award recipients:

• Operate the entire calendar year without a cited critical violation on an inspection
• Safeguard their customers by implementing a YCCHS-approved food safety plan, and
• Have a person-in-charge with an accepted and current manager-level food safety certificate

“This respected award recognizes food establishments for operating practices that demonstrate an exceptionally strong commitment to food safety,” according to a UofA newsletter.

A person who wishes to serve food to the public is required by law to first obtain a license from YCCHS.

Health inspectors have unannounced inspections at least twice a year to assess the operator’s success in assuring that routine practices are conducted in a safe and sanitary manner.

The frequency depends on the complexity of the menu, how much food is made from raw products, and how much is made in advance rather than cooked-to-order.

Inspectors conduct routine and follow-up inspections, as well when they receive concerns from the public on food establishments, according to the website, which notes that food establishments are regulated under the 2009 FDA Food Code, Arizona Administrative Code and Yavapai County Health Code.

“In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations,” the YCCHS website states, adding that “any inspection report is a ‘snapshot’ of the day and time of the inspection.

“An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment.

“Managers and food handlers at area restaurants, schools and other food establishments routinely take steps to serve good food and at the same time, comply with health code standards.

“This award honors those that go above and beyond the food code requirements,” the newsletter stated.

“Even though many restaurants do not earn the Golden Plate Award, they are passing their inspections.”

Reports from restaurant inspections can be found on the Yavapai County Health Department’s website.