13
restaurants fail inspection
By Ruth Estrada
On-line Forty-Niner
The
Food Inspection Program that is responsible
for the regulation of food facilities within
the city of Long Beach found 13 out of 19
establishments not in compliance with health
and safety codes at Cal State Long Beach.
“We are required to verify and enforce that
these facilities are in compliance with
health codes, however it is really the responsibility
of the individual owners and operators to
see that they are in compliance with the
law,” said Nelson Kerr, food program supervisor
for the city of Long Beach.
Since grades are not assigned in the city
of Long Beach, Kerr said that an inspection
summary as well as the full inspection report
must always be available to the public upon
request.
The inspection summary must be posted in
a place that is visible to the public and
patrons.
“We are very strict when it comes to the
summaries being posted. They can be closed
for disguising the summaries,” said Kerr.
Kerr said that inspectors in the city of
Long Beach conduct routine health inspections
in food facilities every four to five months.
Food facilities that are in violation of
city codes generally have two weeks to fix
the problem.
Roman Gulon, general manager and CEO of
the Forty-Niner shops at CSULB, said that
the restaurants located inside the student
food court are mostly operated by the Forty-Niner
shops and that it is really up to the city
of Long Beach to enforce the codes for health
inspections in food facilities.
“The only outside people that are in the
food court are Panda Express, Taco Bell
and Culinary Wrap. Everything else is operated
by us,” Gulon said.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell received a first and final notice
at the end of its health inspection. The
report states that the restaurant needs
to maintain hot water at least 120 degrees
and must comply within 24 hours. The health
inspector wrote that the water temperature
was 111 degrees.
“Taco Bell was within a couple of degrees
from being closed, because their hot water
was not hot enough,” said Kerr. “The
range of temperatures from 110 to 119 is
where we give the first and final notice
and then we will return the following day
to re-inspect.”
Kerr stressed the importance of temperature
control.
“Temperature control is one of the most
important aspects of food safety,” Kerr
said . “It is our bread and butter when
we go into a facility. We are constantly
checking temperature.”
Culinary
Wrap’s
The Culinary Wraps inspection summary states
that it needs corrective actions in food
temperature control and equipment maintenance.
The restaurant was given specific instruction
for thawing out foods and securing carbon
dioxide tanks.
The health inspector made a note that the
gravy was at 110 degrees and was being reheated
on a steam table. Kerr said that the health
inspector obviously felt that the gravy
had not been out long enough to support
any type of progressive bacteria growth.
“Normally when you come across something
at 110 degrees, especially something like
gravy it could be very dangerous,” Kerr
said. “People should never use steam tables
to re-heat things. That is something people
do to take short cuts.”
The report also said chicken should never
have been thawed out in a sink filled with
water — something Kerr agreed this should
never be done.
“The laws allows ways for properly thawing
out foods. You should either place the food
under cold running water, in a microwave,
in a cooking process, or refrigerator,”
said Kerr.
“Carbon dioxide tanks should always be properly
maintained,” said Kerr. “It is very important
to make sure that the tanks are always kept
in a safe place.
“Having a carbon dioxide tank properly secured
is just a safety precaution, because it
is under high amounts of pressure,” Kerr
said. “A tank could possibly discharge sending
a valve exploding right through the wall.”
The
Nugget
The Nugget’s health inspection summary states
that it needs to maintain equipment sanitation,
equipment maintenance, facility sanitation,
facility maintenance, and food handling.
Two of the refrigerators were without thermometers,
according to the report.
“Temperature is so important because it
allows us to monitor temperature control,”
Kerr said. “It is not an eminent health
risk, but a very important matter that should
not be ignored.”
The report also said that a hole in the
ceiling above the prep area needs to be
repaired.
“A restaurant is supposed to be built and
maintained in such a way that excludes vermin,”
Kerr said. “The hole needs to be covered
up to prevent vermin from entering the facility.”
A gasket to the coolers right door needed
to be replaced since the door was not closing
properly, the report said.
“A gasket is really important because it
keeps moisture out and temperature inside.”
Kerr said
Kerr stressed the importance of sanitation.
“It is important to have high standards
in keeping things clean and sanitary,” Kerr
said. “We are not going to shut down a business
for a rusty old gasket, however it is a
matter of sanitation that should not be
ignored.”
Kerr said that it is a violation to find
paper cups being used as scoops in ice bins
the way the Nugget had.
“Employees are required to use the approved
ice scoops, because whatever is on their
fingers and hands is what will be in your
next drink,” said Kerr.
The Nugget report stated that mold was also
found growing on the hoses from the beverage
containers in the walk in cooler.
“Mold may or may not make people sick,”
Kerr said. “However it is a matter of sanitation
that should not be ignored.”
Perfect
Scores
Trends, Tomassitos, Café Beach, Chart
room, Carl’s Jr. and El Pollo Loco had no
violations and did not require any types
of corrective actions. The reports were
perfect.
Boar’s
Head
Boars Head’s inspection summary states that
it needs corrective actions in food temperature,
equipment sanitation, equipment maintenance
and facility maintenance.
The report states that the restaurant needs
to maintain potentially hazardous foods.
Hot foods need to be maintained at or above
140 degrees, and cold foods need to be maintained
at or below 45 degrees or 41 degrees, as
required.
“It looks like something was impeding the
circulation of air. These violations were
certainly a concern,” Kerr said.
The inspection report also stated that it
needs to provide a self-closing device on
the rear kitchen door.
“Providing a self closing device on any
door that leads to the outside should always
have a self closer so that it can keep the
critters out,” Kerr said.
The
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf inspection
report states that it was given a first
notice for obtaining a food handler’s certificate
on Aug. 22, 2002. The health inspector wrote
that the manager may be using the same food
certificate for two different facilities.
The health inspector came back for a re-inspection
on Sept. 23, 2002 and wrote that they still
do have it.
“The Coffee Bean has been given a final
notice to obtain a food handler’s certificate
and have until the end of October to correct
the matter,” Kerr said. “The law states
that it has 60 days to obtain it. We cannot
[allow] the restaurant to operate without
a food handler’s certificate.”
Panda
Express
Panda’s health inspection summary states
that it needs to renew its food handler’s
certificate. The restaurant has until the
end of October to renew it.
PressRoom
The PressRoom’s inspection summary states
that it needs corrective actions in food
temperature and equipment maintenance.
The health inspector wrote that the milk
and cream cheese was at 48 degrees.
“The cut off temperature for throwing out
food is 50 degrees,” Kerr said.
“People used to get sick from milk all the
time, but today we rarely have a problem
with pasteurized products.”
Subway
Subway’s health inspection summary states
that it needs corrective action in food
temperature control. Kerr said that its
cooling process of chicken was in violation
to health codes.
“They should have been doing something to
actively cool down the food,”
Kerr said. “It took them 20 minutes before
placing the chicken into the refrigerator.”
Round
Table Pizza
Round table Pizza’s inspection summary states
that it needs corrective actions in food
temperature and equipment maintenance.
The health inspection report states that
the restaurant needs to maintain temperature
of potentially hazardous foods. The inspector
also wrote that the pizza was being cooked
for less than 30 minutes at 126 degrees.
“Hot food should be at or above 140 degrees.
Cold food should be at or below 45 degrees
or 41 degrees,” Kerr said. “When temperature
is at 126 degrees it is considered bad.”
“Temperature
is real important,” Kerr said. “Foods should
always be at or above 140 degrees.”
The
Outpost
Outpost’s health inspection summary states
that it needs corrective actions in food
temperature and facility maintenance.
The health inspector wrote that a self-closing
device is needed for each entry door. He
also wrote that the tuna salad was at 52
degrees.
Robek’s health inspection summary states
that it needs corrective action in equipment
maintenance.
The Beach Hut’s health inspection summary
states that it needs corrective action in
food temperature control. The health inspector
wrote that canisters filled with creamer
were being improperly stored and that the
smaller creamer containers were not to be
kept on ice.
“Cold foods should always be at or below
45 degrees or 41 degrees as required,” Kerr
said.
The health inspector wrote that the hot
dogs were at 128 degrees after sitting for
30 minutes.
“Temperature is real important,” Kerr said.
“Foods should be always be at or above 140
degrees.”
All reports can be obtained by asking the
different restaurants on campus.
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