Health Department Inspections is a regular listing of inspections conducted in Surry County establishments by North Carolina health officials. The listing includes restaurants, schools, day care facilities, adult care and other facilities. The listings give the health inspector score, if applicable, along with the text of their findings in their words.
La Fuente Mexican Restaurant, 1623 N. Bridge St., Elkin. Inspected Oct. 26, score 93.5. Violations: 1) PIC present, Demonstration – Certification by accredited program, and performs duties: Certified Food Protection Manager – C – The person in charge must be certified as a food protection manager. The person in charge today was not certified as a food safety manager.
2) Food separated and protected: Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation, Packaging, and Segregation – P – Raw chicken and beef was found above cooked chicken and salsa in the reach in cooler. Keep all raw meats below or away from ready to eat foods. The tamales were found uncovered in the walk in freezer. Keep all food products covered to protect them from contamination. The raw meats were relocated and tamales were covered to correct the violation.
3) Proper date marking and disposition: Ready-To-Eat Potentially Hazardous Food (Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food), Date Marking – PF – Carnitas and cooked chicken was found in the reach in cooler with todays date although the product was prepared yesterday. Date marking must be accurate to be effective and the prepared date must be carried over each time the product is moved to a new container or new area of the establishment. The two products were properly date marked to correct the violation.
4) Insects and rodents not present; no unauthorized animals: Controlling Pests – C – Flies were numerous in the establishment today. Exterminate the flies. Outer Openings, Protected – C – The back door to the facility was found propped open at the begining of the inspection today. Do not leave the back door open unless a delivery is being received.
5) Physical facilities installed, maintained and clean: Cleaning, Frequency and Restrictions – C – Clean the floor in the walk in freezer where ice build-up has formed. Repairing-Premises, Structures, Attachments, and Fixtures-Methods – C – Repair the tile that is missing and cracked outside of the employee bathroom. Repair/replace the upholstry on the booths in the right side dining room that is damaged.
Mega Toro Carniceria, 936 West Pine St., Mount Airy. Inspected Oct. 27, score 87.5. Violations: 1) PIC present, Demonstration – Certification by accredited program, and performs duties 2-102.12 Certified Food Protection Manager – C – The person in charge must be certified as a food protection manager.
2) Food separated and protected: Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation, Packaging, and Segregation – P – Raw chicken was found above raw steak in the display cabinet. Raw steak was also found uncovered in the reach in cooler. Keep all raw meats stored by their minimum internal cooking temperature. Keep all foods covered and properly protected while in storage. The steak was covered and chicken relocated to correct the violation. Chili peppers were found on the dish sink while dirty dishes were stored in the wash compartment. Keep all food products away from the dish sink when it is being used for warewashing. The chili peppers were relocated to correct the violation.
3) Food-contact surfaces: cleaned and sanitized: Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Chemical Sanitization-Temperature, pH, Concentration and Hardness – P – The sanitizer was below 50ppm chlorine in the spray bottle. Keep all sanitizer between 50 and 200ppm chlorine. The sanitizer was remade to correct the violation. Equipment Food-Contact Surfaces and Utensils-Frequency – P – Food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized every four hours once soiled and any time the task is changed. The saw, knives and cutting boards were found with build-up on them after they had been used this morning around 8-9:30am. These items were cleaned and sanitized to correct the violation.
4) Proper cold holding temperatures: Potentially Hazardous Food (Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food), Hot and Cold Holding – P – A large block of cheese was found off of temperature control with a temperature of 68 degrees F. The cheese is a hard cheese, but is labeled “maintain under refrigeration.” The cheese was moved back to refrigeration to correct the violation. Keep all potentially hazardous foods at or below 45 degrees F. when holding them cold.
5) Proper date marking and disposition: Ready-To-Eat Potentially Hazardous Food (Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food), Date Marking – PF – (REPEAT) Ham and head cheese was found in the display cabinet without a date mark although it had been opened and stored for over 24 hours. (Opened Sunday and Friday). The products were properly date marked to correct the violation. All potentially hazardous, ready to eat foods must be date marked if they will be held under refrigeration for over 24 hours after they are opened or prepared.
6) Thermometers provided and accurate: Food Temperature Measuring Devices – PF – The food thermometer was not in the establishment today. I will return in 10 days to enusre that a sutiable small diameter probe thermometer is available to take temperatures on all foods produced in the establishment.
7) Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage and display: Food Storage-Preventing Contamination from the Premises – C- Several spice containers were found open today. Bags of pasta wheels were found tied off in the outside storage building. Keep all dry foods in a sealed container or otherwise protected from contamination. Food cannot be stored in direct contact with bags that are not designed for food storage. “Thank You” bags were being used to store raw meat in the freezer today. The meat products were transfered to approved food bags to correct the violation.
8) Wiping cloths: properly used and stored: Wiping Cloths, Use Limitation – C – (REPEAT) Two wet wiping cloths were found improperly stored today. All cloths used to wipe down equipment or food contact surfaces must be stored in a bucket of sanitizer between uses.
9) Equipment, food and non-food-contact surfaces approved; cleanable, properly designed, constructed and used 4-501.11 Good Repair and Proper Adjustment-Equipment – C – Repair the faucet on the three compartment sink that is damaged and leaking. Food Equipment, Certification and Classification – C – Remove the domestic blenders from the establishment. Cutting Surfaces – C – Repair the cutting board that has deep cuts in it below the slicer.
10) Non-food-contact surfaces clean: Equipment, Food-Contact Surfaces, Nonfood-Contact Surfaces, and Utensils – C – Clean the bottom of the reach in cooler. Clean the inside of the front display cooler. Clean the lower shelving in the meat prep areas. Defrost the freezers across from the meat prep area. Clean the handles of the reach in cooler. Clean the sides of the display coolers. Clean under the cutting board located below the slicer.
11) Physical facilities installed, maintained and clean: Repairing-Premises, Structures, Attachments, and Fixtures-Methods – C – 0pts. Repair the cracked floor tile near the reach in cooler. Clean the wall near the meat saw and handwashing sink. Maintaining Premises, Unnecessary Items and Litter – C – Remove all of the debris and items away from the dumpster pad and off the premises.
12) Meets ventilation and lighting requirements; designated areas used: Light Bulbs, Protective Shielding – C – Replace the light shields that are damaged and missing in the food prep area.