Some other interesting "critical" violations noted include 129 instances where inspectors saw food contact with soiled items, 64 instances of contaminated food not discarded properly or on time and four instances of employees contaminating food by tasting it (and replacing the utensil used into the food afterward).

By state law, eating establishments should be inspected twice a year (unless a county adopts a "risk-based" priority system, which allows inspecting higher-risk facilities more often and lower-risk facilities less often).

So eating establishments each should have been inspected, on average, about four times total in 2005 and 2006.

Data obtained by the Morning News show they were inspected about three times on average in Salt Lake County, and about 2.5 times in Utah County. (However, those averages are only approximate, because many establishments were not open during the entire two-year period studied.)

Inspectors in both counties acknowledge restaurants are not being inspected as often as called for by law. They blame it on budget shortfalls that do not allow hiring enough inspectors.

"We're about 10 percent below where we should be," Delegge said about Salt Lake County.

He said he has 44 to 47 full-time-equivalent inspectors for the 3,700 food establishments in the county, or about one for every 84 restaurants.

In Utah County, Beebe said he has only four or five full-time-equivalent inspectors for the county's 1,400 food establishments, or about one for every 350 restaurants.

Delegge said when Salt Lake County appears to be falling behind schedule, the food inspection program calls in help from other departments "and we have a blitz to catch up" and ensure no facility goes too long without an inspection.

In Utah County, Beebe said his county has hired some new inspectors, which should help it come closer to the required number of inspections. He said when his department is unable to do all those required, "What we might let slide (for a time) is a convenience store or something considered a low risk.".

Facing consequences

Restaurants face a variety of consequences for violations. As mentioned, if an imminent health risk is found, an inspector may close it until the problem is fixed. Serious repeated offenses could lead to a suspension of its license.

If several "critical" problems are found, the health departments can also require subsequent reinspections. Food establishments are charged $100 for reinspections in Salt Lake County, and $80 in Utah County.

Administrators in both counties say they try to balance being both an educator for restaurant operators and, essentially, the health police.