Health Care Agency Supervisor Named
Environmental Health Specialist of the Year

(Santa Ana) – The California Environmental Health Association (CEHA) has named John Ralls, a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and Supervisor in the Orange County Health Care Agency Food Protection Program, the recipient of the 2006 “Environmental Health Specialist of the Year” award.

The annual award is presented in recognition of significant contributions to the field of environmental health and Ralls was acknowledged for developing the Fresh is Best public education campaign, designed to ensure that foods prepared and stored according to traditional methods are fresh and safe for consumption. The award was presented Wednesday, May 10 during the state association’s 55th annual education symposium, held in Anaheim.

Ralls coordinated the Traditional Foods Project to address public health concerns about the safety of certain traditional foods prepared in Vietnamese restaurants; these foods are often stored at room temperature for extended periods of time. Ralls organized a committee of civic leaders, health educators, food industry representatives and state and local regulators to review the issue. The committee conducted laboratory tests and found that foods cannot be kept at room temperature for extended periods of time and still be considered safe for consumption. Ralls and the committee then developed procedures for safe handling and storage of the foods, initiated time stamp labeling, and implemented a public education campaign. The impact of the project is expected to become a new and permanent way of doing business.

An Orange County employee and CEHA member since 1987, Ralls has been a Supervisor in the Food Protection Program of Orange County Environmental Health since 1996.

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