There are two types of violations recorded on the inspection report:
Red critical violations are food handling practices that, when not done properly, are most likely to lead to foodborne illnesses. These food handling practices include:
Controlling temperatures, such as cooking meats to the proper temperature to kill foodborne disease germs, keeping food hot enough until it is served, and keeping food cold enough
Blue violations are primarily maintenance and sanitation issues that are not likely to be the cause of a foodborne illness.
If the establishment scores at least 35 but not more than 74 red points, a reinspection will occur within 30 days. During the reinspection, the inspector will confirm that all red point violations have been corrected.
If the establishment scores at least 75 red points or an imminent health hazard is observed, a closure will be posted. To reopen, the owner/operator must schedule an inspection and the inspector will confirm that all red point violations have been corrected and/or that the imminent health hazard has been corrected.
Inspections conducted from Sept. 30 through Oct. 3
Al Carbon, 200 Simpson Ave., McCleary
Oct. 2, Food Inspection Type – Reinspection
Red – 70
Blue – 15
Observations and Corrective Actions
1: A food employee put on gloves to work with food without handwashing after hands were contaminated from picking up a knife off the kitchen floor.
Corrective Actions: Food workers must wash their hands immediately before engaging in food preparation, when changing tasks, and as often as necessary to remove soil and contamination from hands. Food workers should be aware of when, where and how to wash hands. Education was provided to staff and PIC will train employees on when they must wash hands.
2: Multiple food workers were observed washing their hands for less than 5 seconds.
Corrective Actions: Food employees must wash their hands and exposed portions of their arms for at least 20 seconds by using soap and vigorously rubbing lathered hands and arms together and thoroughly rinsing with clean water at a handwashing sink. Food workers returned to handwash sink and rewashed hands with proper procedure before returning to food handling. PIC will provide training to food workers on how to properly wash hands.
3: Mold found on butter packets in the walk-in cooler.
Corrective Actions: Food must be safe and unadulterated. PIC discarded all butter packets.
4: Refried beans were cooled overnight in the walk-in cooler in a depth of about 10 inches without temperature monitoring. Beans were sitting on a cart in the kitchen at 57ºF without temperature control. Shredded chicken in the walk-in cooler at a depth of 3 inches with a lid on at 45ºF.
Corrective Actions: Food being cooled must be properly cooled by one of the following approved methods: 1) Cool in a pan uncovered at a depth of 2 inches or less or 2) Cool the food from 135ºF – 70ºF within 2 hours and 70ºF – 41ºF within 4 hours. Corrected by discarding refried beans and reportioning shredded chicken.
5: Shredded cheese, salsa, shredded chicken, sour cream, beef stock, and enchilada sauce were found at temperatures between 45 – 50ºF.
Corrective Actions: Cold held food must maintain 41°F or less.
6: Several flies observed flying around the kitchen. A fly landed on a cutting board that was recently used to cut raw chicken. Cutting board was placed into the 3-comp sink for warewashing. Rodent droppings observed on the floor by the ice machine in the back storage area. Harborage conditions are present as several items are stored on the floor that don’t appear to be used for the establishment (i.e. tools).
Corrective Actions: Food establishments must be free of insects, rodents and other pests so there is not a breeding population. Contact a pest control service and implement routine monitoring of pests. Clean up all rodent feces in the back area and remove harborage. Install a UV light trap for flying insects in the kitchen above the door near the mop sink.
7: Ice machine still has mold. Ice scoop is stored on top of an uncleanable surface (wooden box) and has visible dirt/mold accumulation on it.
Corrective Actions: Containers storing food, food equipment, or utensils must be cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination during storage. Discard all ice and wash, rinse, sanitize, and air dry the unit before turning it back on. Wash, rinse, sanitize, and air dry the ice scoop and store in a stainless steel container that can be washed, rinsed, and sanitized.
8: Kitchen floors, walls, and ceiling still have visible accumulations of dust, grime, and/or debris. Walk-in cooler ceiling has visible accumulations of dust and grime. Dishwasher where the plunger is has some grime build up but does appear to be better than last inspection.
Corrective Actions: Non-food contact surfaces of the equipment must be kept clean and free of dust, dirt and food residue. Clean these surfaces within 4 days.
9: Light intensity in the warewashing area is still not sufficient with the temporary light. PIC stated they will need to contact the building owner to have this fixed.
Corrective Actions: Lighting in self-service areas, inside equipment, in handwashing and warewashing areas, bathrooms and equipment storage must be at least 20 foot candles. Lighting in food preparation areas must be at least 50 foot candles.
Additional Comments
Hood was serviced since our last inspection. Cooking equipment has been moved back to wall. Hood was not turned on prior to using the cooking equipment. PIC turned the hood on after we pointed it out.
Print and post all Food Worker Cards. Points next time if not printed.
Have your walk-in cooler and sandwich preparation refrigerator serviced immediately as temperatures were elevated in the walk-in cooler and the condenser was leaking. So not store open food underneath the condenser.
Standing water was also present on the bottom shelf of the sandwich preparation refrigerator.
Do not use the food preparation sink for anything other than food prep. Straws were observed inside the sink basin and a dish rack was observed on top of the sink. Points next time.
Create a designated shelf in the reach-in refrigerator for personal food. Personal food must be stored below and away from food and beverages used for the restaurant.
Do not hang coats and jackets on top of pots and pans in the warewashing area. Personal items must be stored to prevent contamination.
If you remove chemicals from their original container you must label new container it’s put in with at least the common name. Do not store chemicals on the 3-comp sink. Points next time.
Our office will develop a compliance plan for upgrades to the warewashing area. Upgrades will include removing the paper towel dispenser, discarding equipment and utensils that are no longer easily cleanable and have deteriorated to become a physical hazard (we threw away multiple broken utensils and fryer baskets). The area also is in need of deep cleaning and upgrades to the wall as exposed wood is present creating a surface that is no longer easily cleanable. Lighting in this area must also be upgraded as noted in the violations section of the report. Coving is missing in areas that must be replaced. I will follow up with a letter outlining the compliance plan and deadlines to make upgrades.
Install a self-closing hinge on the restroom door within 7 days.
Work with a plumber to provide an indirect drain for the ice machine. You cannot drain the ice machine onto the floor.
Bleach sanitizer bucket: 100 ppm
Dishwasher: 109ºF, 50-100ppm
Dishwasher concentration is good but final rinse temperature is insufficient. Final rinse temperature must be at least 120ºF. Upgrades to your water heater may be required if the temperature cannot reach 120ºF.
Tienda Mexicana La Michoacana, 500 E 1st St., Aberdeen
Oct. 3, Food Inspection Type – Routine
Red – 150
Blue – 0
Observations and Corrective Actions
1: Person-In-Charge does not have control of red high risk factors and could not provide correct responses to key food safety questions about food operation such as the required hot holding temperature for TCS foods. Cold holding temperature provided was also incorrect.
Corrective Actions: Person-In-Charge must be knowledgeable about foodborne disease prevention and requirements to control food safety risks at the food establishment. The PIC was the only food worker present today and it was her first day working here. You must fully train staff before they can act as the PIC.
2: Restroom hand sink does not have hot water. Faucet appears to be broken.
Corrective Actions: Handwash sink must provide water of at least 100°F. Replace the faucet if needed or contact a plumber to diagnose why the sink doesn’t have hot water.
3: Ice found stored directly in a grocery bag in the reach-in freezer. Source unknown as ice machine is currently not working.
Corrective Actions: Ice that is added to food or contacts food must come from an approved drinking water source that is approved for consumption. Corrected by discarding ice.
4: Boxes of jalapeños, apples, and limes as well as a couple of mangoes were found in the walk-in cooler with significant mold. Avocado with visible mold found on the countertop at room temperature in the kitchen area.
Corrective Actions: Food must be safe and unadulterated. Discard all moldy food.
5: Open package of raw chicken stored directly on top of raw pork and shrimp in the reach-in refrigerator. Raw shrimp bag leaking onto bottom shelf of refrigerator.
Corrective Actions: Raw products must be stored down and away from ready to eat foods to prevent cross contamination. Corrected by discarding contaminated product. You must wash, rinse, and sanitize all shelving in the refrigerator.
6: Raw shell eggs stored over ready to eat chips and carrots in the reach-in refrigerator. No signs of cross contamination.
Corrective Actions: Raw products must be stored down and away from ready to eat foods to prevent cross contamination. Corrected by rearranging food items so that raw products are below ready to eat food.
7: Chicken and broth in stock pot cooled at a depth of 6 inches without temperature monitoring.
Corrective Actions: Food being cooled must be properly cooled by one of the following approved methods: 1) Cool in a pan at a depth of 2 inches or less uncovered or 2) Cool the food from 135ºF – 70ºF within 2 hours and 70ºF – 41ºF within 4 hours. Corrected by discarding product.
8: Refried beans hot held in the steam table measured at 117°F and rice in the steam table measured at 84°F.
Corrective Actions: Hot held food must be maintained at 135°F or above. Corrected by discarding.
9: Refried beans sitting on the countertop without temperature control measured at 71°F.
Corrective Actions: Food using time as a public health control (TPHC) must be clearly labeled or otherwise marked to ensure food is served or discarded within 4 hours. Written procedures must be maintained on-site if you are using TPHC. Corrected by discarding.
10: Milk in the walk-in cooler was measured at 53°F and eggs were found at 50°F. Walk-in cooler is running warm today, ambient air temperature was 50°F.
Corrective Actions: Cold held food must maintain 41°F or less. PIC discarded milk. You must discard all remaining TCS foods in this unit. Have the walk-in cooler serviced to ensure it can maintain temperature. If the walk-in cooler can’t maintain temperature you must only store non-TCS food and beverages inside. You could purchase an NSF certified refrigerator to display milk, eggs, bacon, and other TCS foods.
11: Food thermometer not available. PIC stated the manager brings it in later in the day.
Corrective Actions: A thermometer must be provided and readily accessible. At least one thermometer must have a thin probe to measure thin foods. Provide a digital thermometer for staff to easily use.
Additional Comments
Hand sink on the cookline is backing up. Contact a plumber.
Produce items such as cut onion, limes, and jalapeño were found sitting directly on top of packaged cheese in the reach-in fridge. You cannot store open product intermingled with packaged product.
Print all Food Worker Cards. Food worker on-site today had a valid card but it was on her phone.
Print your Certified Food Protection Manager certificate and post with your Food Worker Cards.
Sanitizer solution was insufficient. You must remake the sanitizer solution at least every 4 hours or more often as necessary.
Do not rinse hands in the food preparation or warewashing sink. Hands must only be washed in the hand sink.
Do not store food or ice directly in grocery bags.
Closure notice posted Oct. 3. Closure is due to Grays Harbor County Enforcement Policy that states a permit is suspended when inspection scores meet or exceed 75 red critical points or 100 total points. You cannot operate until approved by our office. I will follow up with steps for permit reinstatement and the re-opening invoice. Re-opening fee is required in the amount of $390.
