You may have noticed something different at your favorite restaurant lately.
That coveted “A” health grade sign — which means a restaurant has passed inspection with few, if any, issues — has a different color. It’s changed from blue to green, along with color changes for every other letter grade in the system.
It’s part of a switch by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which manages health inspections.
What’s changed?
The change seems to have happened quietly over a few years.
Cards featuring “A” grades changed from blue to green; “B” cards changed from green to blue, and “C” cards changed from red to yellow.
The old colors had been the department standard for decades. Health inspectors have been replacing the grade cards with the new style as they do their inspections, which are supposed to happen one to three times a year. Some old colors are still out there, though.
The decision to switch the colors came in 2022, according to the Department of Public Health, and was rolled out over time. County health officials worked with food industry representatives to simplify the grade system that year.