Health inspector dings 13 businesses with 40 violations

A summary of the March 15-April 11 food inspections by Pinal County Environmental Health Services:

Bashas’ Deli

1. Equipment, Food-Contact Surfaces, Nonfood-Contact Surfaces and Utensils
   Observed a buildup of food debris on no-food contact surfaces of small reach-in warmer, oven shelves, and pizza prep and sandwich coolers.
2. Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Date Marking
   Observed small, open packages of meat. Operator using 8-day date marking system. Food required to be held under a date marking system cannot be held more than seven days.
3. Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Disposition
   Observed open packages of deli meat with expired dates.

Denny’s

1. Food Temperature Measuring Devices
   Food probe thermometer not present.
2. Cooking and Baking Equipment
   Interior fan cover is broken.
3. Maintaining Refuse Areas and Enclosures
   Buildup of debris on and around the dumpster and grease receptacles. Dumpster door removed.

The Duke at Rancho El Dorado

1. When to Wash
   Employee entered kitchen through back door and used pot to scoop ice from the ice machine. A proper utensil must be used.
2. Cleaning Procedure
   Employee washed hands for about five seconds prior to food prep.
   Proper handwashing procedure includes wet hands, vigorously scrub hands (20 seconds) with soap, rinse and dry with paper towel.
3. Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation, Packaging and Segregation
   Observed loosely covered raw fish stored above open pan of cooked bratwurst on speed rack in walk-in cooler.
4. Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Disposition
   Open containers held in walk-in cooler and small prep cooler with expired date or no date marks (no date marks on salsa, bratwurst and baked beans.)
5. Good Repair and Calibration
   Food probe thermometer found to be off by 10°.
6. Temperature Measuring Devices, Manual and Mechanical Ware Washing
   Operator using high temperature dish machine without use of irreversible temperature device to monitor temperatures at dish surface.

Francisco’s Mexican Food

1. Cooling Methods
   Internal temperatures of cooked potatoes and cooked vegetable soup held in deep, closed plastic containers in reach-in coolers were 60-63°F. Chilled foods to be maintained ≤41°F.
2. Cooling
   Internal temperatures of cooked chilies held in closed, 5-gallon bucket were 50-55°F. Chilled foods are to be maintained at ≤41°F.

Honeycutt Coffee

1. Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Hot and Cold Holding
   Internal temperatures of precooked eggs held in sealed plastic bag in prep-cooler were 61-63°F. Chilled foods are to be maintained at ≤41°F.
2. Prohibiting Animals
   Customer entered establishment from back door with two leashed dogs. Manager stated customers are permitted to have dogs on the patio and enter patio through the back gate. Observed the back gate to be padlocked at the time of the inspection. Pet animals are prohibited in food establishments.
3. Floors, Walls and Ceilings-Cleanability
   Observed wall behind coffee rinse sink damaged.
4. Cleaning, Frequency and Restrictions
   Observed buildup of debris on floor under soda lines and drainpipes.

IHOP

1. Preventing Contamination from Hands
   Staff used bare hands in direct contact with ready-to-eat pancakes at expo window.
2. Equipment, Food-Contact Surfaces, Nonfood-Contact Surfaces and Utensils
   Buildup of food debris/grease on non-food contact surfaces of fry station, egg station and egg station order monitor.

McDonald’s (Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway)

1. Preventing Contamination from Hands
   Employee’s bare hands in direct contact with ice cream cone.
2. Controlling Pests
   Live cockroaches at drink station.

Native Grill & Wings

1. Preventing Contamination from Hands
   Observed cook use bare hands to handle ready-to-eat oregano leaves.
2. Sanitizing Solutions, Testing Devices
   Operator used sanitizer without testing strips.
3. Floors, Walls and Ceilings-Cleanability
   Wall under three-compartment sink and tiled baseboard throughout kitchen damaged.

Sprout’s Farmer’s Market

1. Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Chemical Sanitization-Temperature, pH, Concentration and Hardness
   Employee dropped knife on floor, then after washing and rinsing knife, dipped knife in sanitizer for about five seconds and then dry it with a paper towel. Food contact surfaces must be in contact with sanitizer at least one minute.

1. Cooking and Baking Equipment
   Heavy buildup of food debris on fryer baskets and pizza oven conveyer.
2. Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Hot and Cold Holding
   Internal temperatures of cooked meatballs held in the steam well 95-115°F. Hot foods to be kept at ≥135°F.
3. Cooling Methods
   Internal temperatures of portioned pasta held in individual, sealed, plastic baggies stored stacked in deep plastic container in upright reach-in cooler 56-57°F. Chilled foods to be kept at ≤41°F.
4. Good Repair and Proper Adjustment-Equipment
   Walk-in cooler door not closing properly. Hinge and gaskets damaged.
5. Equipment, Food-Contact Surfaces, Nonfood-Contact Surfaces and Utensils
   Observed buildup of grease and food debris on sides of pizza oven, handles and interior of prep coolers, oil hose and connectors located in kitchen. Cleaning recommended at frequency that negates buildup.
6. Floors, Walls and Ceilings-Cleanability
   Observed missing/damaged floor tiles at wait station.
7. Cleaning, Frequency and Restrictions
   Buildup of food debris on floors, walls and floor drains throughout facility.
8. Ventilation Hood Systems, Filters
   Buildup of grease on fry station hood filters.

Rili-B’s Taco Shop

1. Cooling
   Internal temperatures of cooked beans held in plastic container in walk-in cooler were 64-67°F. Food should be covered in containers only after foods have reached 41°F. Chilled foods are to be maintained ≤41°F.

Wingstop

1. When to Wash
   Employee removed hose from mop sink hose bib then immediately donned gloves and begin to peel ready-to-eat carrots without washing hands.
2. Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Chemical Sanitization-Temperature, pH, Concentration and Hardness
   In-use quat-based sanitizer in three-compartment sink was tested to be
   0 ppm. Proper level of sanitizer is 200-400 ppm.
3. Sanitizing Solutions, Testing Devices
   Operator uses a “quat”-based sanitizer. Testing strips provided by manager not viable because they had gotten wet. Proper strips were in manager’s office.

Fry’s Marketplace Deli

1. Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Date Marking
   Operator using 8-day expiration date process. Date marks are not to exceed 7 days including the day the item was prepped/opened.

Fry’s Marketplace Murray Cheese

1. 1. Sanitizers, Criteria-Chemicals
      In-use sanitizer from automatic dispenser tested to be above 400 parts per million (ppm). Should be 200-400 ppm.

Excellent
Bashas’
Bashas’ AFC Sushi
Bashas’ Bakery
Bashas’ Retail
Bashas’ Sushi
Children’s Learning Adventure Childcare Centers
Circle K, 18141 N. John Wayne Pkwy
Culver’s
Desert Wind Middle School
Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers
Fry’s Marketplace
Fry’s Marketplace Bakery
Fry’s Marketplace Starbucks
Gyro Grill
Headquarters
LaQuinta Inn eating area
MOD Pizza
Panda Express
QuikTrip
QuikTrip Kitchen
Santa Cruz Elementary School
Sprouts

Satisfactory
Barro’s Pizza
Bashas’ Deli
Denny’s
The Duke at Rancho El Dorado
Francisco’s Mexican Food
Fry’s Marketplace Deli
Fry’s Marketplace Murray Cheese
Honeycutt Coffee
IHOP
McDonald’s (Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway)
Native Grill & Wings
Omni Sushi (Sprouts)
Rili B’s Taco Shop
Wingstop

EXCELLENT No violations found.

SATISFACTORY Violations corrected during inspection.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT Critical items noted during inspection cannot be corrected immediately requiring follow-up inspection.

UNACCEPTABLE Gross, unsanitary conditions necessitating the discontinuation of service.

This story was first published in the May edition of InMaricopa magazine.