Recent inspections turn up 7 noncompliant restaurants
With findings ranging from dirty knives to bugs in liquor bottles, seven area restaurants recently violated state food safety regulations and fell out of compliance with the state's Department of Agriculture.
Inspectors visit establishments once per year to ensure places that serve food are following safety guidelines, such as storing food at the proper temperature and keeping food preparation areas clean.
The primary purpose of the inspections is to protect the public from foodborne illnesses, said Lydia Johnson, assistant director of the Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratories.
In the past five weeks, seven York County establishments have failed to meet the guidelines. The number and severity of the violations vary, but all of those that have fallen out of compliance are still allowed to operate.
Found bugs: A Nov. 23 inspection at Hawk Gunning Club, 2486 Pleasant View Drive, found 14 violations.
The inspector noted a repeat violation -- which means the same problem has been found during earlier inspections -- for seven bottles of liquor that had
dead insects in them.
According to the report, all of the bottles were discarded while the inspector was on site.
Other violations include "slime" on the interior of the ice machine bin and soda guns, and food that had been cooked the previous day being stored at room temperature.
The club's owner did not return calls for comment.
Buffet violations: An inspector found 11 violations at Infinito's Pizza, Pasta, Salad Buffet, 1113 Carlisle Ave., on Nov. 22.
Food in the salad bar wasn't being kept cool enough, having registered an internal temperature of 44 degrees, the report said. Also among the infractions were a pencil and duct tape being used as repair materials for a cheese shredder.
There were also repeat violations for a missing filter from a vent system and black residue and pink slime on the inside of the ice machine bin. Also, no sign was posted to remind employees to wash their hands, the report said.
Owner Andy Malinowski said violations are a part of his job.
"When you operate multiple restaurants, you're bound to have issues and corrective action," he said. "That's why there's a health department in place. We welcome the inspection because it keeps us on our toes."
He said the sign wasn't posted because it had been removed for cleaning and hadn't been replaced, and the replacement part for the shredder was on order.
"Somebody got the bright idea of putting (the pencil and tape) in for a missing pin," he said. "It doesn't come in contact with the food."
Food in the salad bar is supposed to register between 36 and 40 degrees, and it typically does, he said.
"Someone had removed the pan to fill it up, so it's like leaving the refrigerator door open," he said. "I put a thermometer in there the other day and it was right where it was supposed to be, 38 degrees."
He said none of his violations were "serious" or jeopardized the health of customers, and most have been corrected.
Subjective call: During the inspections, the "seriousness" of an offense is somewhat subjective, Johnson said.
He explained that the sanitarian has discretion to determine the severity of situations and decides whether an establishment is classified as non-compliant and whether to allow the operation to continue.
"We give them the guidelines, but they are the ones who are at the facility and can discern, for example, an infestation, whether it's a violation or an eminent health hazard," she said. "We're relying upon their training ... but they cannot have a facility cease operation without consent from the supervisor."
Facilities can be closed for "eminent health hazards when (they pose) a serious threat to the community," such as an infestation, lack of water or "gross insanitary conditions."
There are three jurisdictions in York County. York City and Hanover have their own inspectors, with the state's inspectors overseeing the balance. The local jurisdictions can use their own guidelines, while the state uses Pennsylvania's food code.
But under a state law that takes effect on Jan. 22, all inspectors will be mandated to use uniform regulations based on the federal Food and Drug Administration's National Model Retail Food Code.
Effect of new law? A spokeswoman for Isaac's Restaurant & Deli, 2159 White St., said she thinks the Dec. 1 inspection that led to the restaurant's non-compliant status was colored by the passing of the new law.
There were four violations, including static dust on overhead piping and dirty dishes placed on a floor by a dishwasher machine.
Jennifer Shivery, manager of operations and menu for the chain, said the problems have been corrected.
"None of our refrigeration is faulty, and food is handled at a safe temperature," she said. "None of these items that are marked had to do with food being served at the time or employee sanitation. We are so clean all the time that anything that is a violation sticks out like a sore thumb. I think they have to look for (violations) for us, and (the new law) has them really focused on everything."
But at Guadalajara, 2600 E. Market St., manager Julio Miramyntes said the restaurant's Nov. 22 inspection revealed gaps in employee behavior.
All eight violations were repeat violations, such as dirty knives being stored on a magnet set aside for clean knives.
"I guess somebody used it and didn't clean it and put it back on the thing," he said. "We had a big meeting to try to keep everything straight up. I told (employees) we have to watch every step in keeping clean."
At Rutter's Farm Store, 1099 Haines Road, most of the five violations listed were associated with a water heater that was malfunctioning during the inspector's Nov. 15 visit, said Scott Hartman, president of Rutter's Farm Stores.
The violations have been corrected, he said.
Also listed as noncompliant were Logan's Roadhouse Restaurant, 2180 York Crossing Drive, and Wrightsville Steam Fire Engine Hose Co. No. 1 Canteen, 125 S. Second St. in Wrightsville. Representatives did not return calls for comment.
How inspections work:
State and local inspectors visit establishments once per year to ensure places that serve food are following safety guidelines, such as storing food at the proper temperature and keeping food preparation areas clean.
The inspector has discretion to determine the severity of situations and decides whether an establishment is classified as compliant, non-compliant and whether to close the operation.
Repeat violations or serious violations often result in a non-compliant status. Non-compliant establishments are inspected more than once per year, with inspectors scheduling follow-up visits at their discretion.
Facilities can be closed for eminent health hazards when it poses a serious threat to the community, such as an infestation, lack of water, or gross unsanitary conditions.
Source: Pa. Dept. of Agriculture
Not compliant: The establishments below are listed as "out of compliance" with the state's Department of Agriculture for the following food safety inspection violations:
---ISAAC'S RESTAURANT & DELI; 2159 White St.
Inspection date: Dec. 1, 2010
Four violations:
---Dirty dishes sitting on floor by dishwasher
---Broken knob setting on slicer
Repeat violations for:
---Old stickers for date marking stuck to food storage containers
---Static dust on overhead piping at hood area.
---RUTTER'S No. 01, 1099 Haines Road
Inspection date: Nov. 15, 2010
Five violations
---Repeat violation for hot water in restrooms only reaching 62 degrees instead of 100.
---Items sanitized in dish machine only getting to 154 degrees, not 160.
---Final rinse gauge on the dish machine is not functioning.
---Drain plug missing in the Dumpster
---Static dust on ceilings, ceiling vents, and walk-in fan covers.
---WRIGHTSVILLE STEAM FIRE ENGINE HOSE CO. No. 1 CANTEEN; 125 S. Second St., Wrightsville
Inspection date: Nov. 9, 2010
Four violations
---Repeat violations for having no sign posted to remind employees to wash their hands and for a common basin being used for handwashing instead of a permanent station with hot and cold water.
---Interior of equipment needs cleaning
---Floor in trailer needs "a thorough" cleaning
---HAWK GUNNING CLUB; 2486 Pleasant View Dr.
Inspection date: Nov. 23, 2010
14 violations
---Repeat violations for seven bottles of liquor with dead insects.
---Raw chicken being stored over ready-to-eat foods in the walk-in.
---Underside of a shelf had food spatter
---Two dirty knives stored in clean knife cabinet
---Black residue and pink slime on the interior of the ice machine bin
---All soda guns had a pink slimy substance
---Flour used for breading not being sifted to remove clumps
---Cooked potatoes from previous day being stored at room temperature
---Temperature-measuring device not acceptable
---Beverage container tops and lids stored in ice
---Clean knives stored between the wall and the knife cabinet, which is an area that can't be cleaned
---The pre-wash sink drain is leaking
---The sanitizing sink drain is leaking
---Hood filters have accumulation of dust and grease over the fryer area
---GUADALAJARA, 2600 E. Market St.
Inspection date: Nov. 22, 2010
Eight violations, all of which are repeat violations:
---The person in charge is not enforcing the PA Food Code
---An employee's open beverage container was observed in a food prep area
---Most "clean" knives stored on the magnet were not clean
---Sanitizer wasn't functioning properly on its rinse cycle
---Pan of potentially hazardous rice sitting on top of the steam table and not in the heat
---Potentially hazardous ready to eat food held for more than 48 hours and were not date marked
---Moist cloths laying on table, not in sanitizing solution
---Ice scoop handle touching the ice
---INFINITO'S PIZZA, PASTA, SALAD BUFFET, 1113 Carlisle Ave.
Inspection date: Nov. 22, 2010
11 violations
---Repeat violations for a hood system missing a filter for three years, as well as a black residue and pink slime on the inside of the ice machine bin
---No sign posted to remind employees to wash hands
---Wiping cloths in a bucket with no sanitizer
---Accumulation of food residue on can opener
---Internal temperature of salad bar items is 44 degrees
---Not all refrigeration units have visible thermometers
---A pencil and duct tape were being used as repair materials for a cheese shredder
---No strips to test sanitizer strength
---Three compartment sink leaks
---Men's room hand sink leaking
---LOGAN'S ROADHOUSE RESTAURANT, 2180 York Crossing Drive
Inspection date: Nov. 17, 2010
17 violations, none of which are repeat violations
---Handwash sink paper towel dispenser empty
---Three hand sinks are used for tasks other than hand washing
---Two knife magnets and 10 knives on them were not clean
---Numerous "clean" dishes were not clean
---Stickers on pans
---Meat saw and hand slicer not clean to sight and touch
---Black residue and pink slime on soda bar gun and holster
---Three refrigeration units with temperatures higher than 41
---Clean silverware stored eating end up
---Tops of tubes for single use cups not protected
---Three refrigeration units not holding temp of 41 or lower
---Duct tape used as a repair material on the warmer door
---Large water leak from the back of the dish machine
---Dishes are not being properly washed and rinsed before entering the dish machine
---Two floor tiles missing at a hand sink
---Floor drains require cleaning
---Walk in fan covers have static dust.
-- Reach Christina Kauffman at 505-5436, ckauffman@yorkdis patch.com, or follow her on Twitter at @dispatchbiz wiz.
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