Tag Archives: inspection

Jell-O and mouse poop in a school cafeteria

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There’s really nothing like high school cafeteria Jell-O – especially if that Jell-O mix has mouse poop in it or near it.

That’s exactly what was found as the kitchens at James Buchanan High School and Middle School in Pennsylvania failed the most recent health department inspections, with the state citing mouse droppings near food and other violations.

Both schools were cited for not having an adequate space for employees to wash their hands. Mouse droppings were found in both locations.

Justin Flemming, spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, said the droppings were a small amount in a contained area. In the report at the middle school it states open bags of Jell-O mix were "adulterated" by the droppings.

Tuscarora Business Manager Eric Holtzman said, however, that the mixes were in sealed bags that were contained in a box. Holtzman said the droppings were in the box but were not found in the bags of mix.

"Mice in the country are a problem," said Gertrude Giorgini, who operated the kitchen for Tuscarora for 23 years before retiring eight years ago.

Giorgini also questioned the district’s decision hiring a food management company, rather than keep food services in house. She said that many management companies won’t keep as close of an eye on food safety and cleanliness at a facility as people who are employed by the school district.

"You never want to be written up by the Board of Health," Giorgini said.
 

Flies and feces: Restaurant inspection disclosure goes online in London-lite

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"What does (Powell) know about the actions of London politicians and the relationship of the city and the health unit? Probably nothing."

That was London-lite Councilor Harold Usher responding to my criticism that if London (in Ontario, in Canada) politicians wanted restaurant inspection disclosure in the form of colored signs on doors like the medical officer of health recommended 40 months ago, it would have happened faster. Just like it did in Toronto, all those years ago.

Sir, I didn’t just send my comments in by stagecoach from Kansas, I am from Brantford (in Ontario, in Canada), and have sat through numerous city council meetings involving board of health issues as both a journalist and participant in Toronto, Port Colborne, Welland, Guelph, and closer to London, Ingersoll (all in Ontario, Canada).

Coun. Susan Eagle, one of two people on the 11-member board appointed by city council, said,

"I was keen to move faster than we did . . . I’m disappointed it’s taken so long."

Jonathan Sher of the London Free Press wrote in Saturday’s edition that when London-lite restaurant inspections went online for the first time this week, so many diners logged on, the system slowed to a crawl.

Dr. Douglas Powell, associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University, said,

"I think it goes back to a lack of political will. London could have done this earlier if (politicians) wanted to. Is there anyone in London who will champion the rights of diners and people who buy (prepared) food?"

London Controller Gina Barber thinks Powell has a point — while politicians support the use of coloured signs, no one made it a priority or directed staff to get the work done by a deadline.

The Free Press coverage caused a flood of diners to call the health unit, where officials promised they’d soon post inspection summaries on a long-planned website.

I also told the reporter, the best restaurants will embrace public disclosure and even promote their food safety excellence.

How to use the inspection website in London:

Access at http://inspection.healthunit.com or through the health unit’s main website, www.healthunit.com?
Search for restaurants by region, by first letter or by keyword. Violations will be listed for each. ?
Click on restaurant names for dates of inspection reports, then on each date for summaries of violations and action required.?
 

Army food inspection team in Japan trains for rapid testing

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Twice now I’ve provided food safety talks to groups of U.S. military personnel from Fort Riley about to be deployed to Afghanistan to work on rebuilding projects. I always feel goofy because there are many in the audience who know far more about such safety matters than I do. And since arriving in Manhattan (Kansas) four years ago, I’ve gotten to know a number of food-safety types based in the military. They’ve got some awesome stuff and people.

So when I read in Stars and Stripes that people shouldn’t be too fearful of food products grown and manufactured in Japan and sold on U.S. military bases, like Camp Kinser in Okinawa, I’ll go with believing.

According to the story, the Army is setting up two laboratories — on Camp Kinser and on Camp Zama in mainland Japan — to perform more intensive testing of foods and beverages.

Two instructors from the Army Veterinary Science’s Food Safety and Defense Branch at Fort Sam Houston in Texas recently spent three weeks at Camp Kinser training lab technicians and managers to "rapid test" a variety of items.

Part of the Army mission is to protect troops from any possible threats posed by terrorists, who might see the food supply as an easy target, said Lt. Col. Margery Hanfelt, a special projects chief with the Department of Veterinary Science.

"Just to know that we have these capabilities to test right away is a deterrent," she said.

The Veterinary Service provides inspections for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and other Defense agencies. The Air Force has its own inspectors.

Inspectors — Army personnel and Japanese civilians — inspect all local vendors and the food served on the bases. There are about 55 inspectors throughout Japan, 15 of them on Okinawa.
 

The best restaurants flaunt, rather than fear, inspection disclosure

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Media outlets in New York and London-lite (the Ontario version) are clamoring for improvements in restaurant inspection disclosure.

The job is easier in New York, because, as reported by nyunews.com, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced that beginning in July of 2010, restaurants in NYC will be required to display their health inspection letter grade so that it is highly visible to customers.

While gaining support from a number of people who believe the system will promote cleanliness and limit foodborne illnesses, many believe the system will be an unnecessary burden on the restaurant community. The following are reactions from managers and employees of several local restaurants.

Randy Richmond of the London Free Press writes that posting restaurant inspection results online will weed out unhealthy operations and protect the public, several local eatery owners say.

It would be better, though, if London could afford more inspectors to ensure more frequent checks, added one owner.

In New York, managers such as Elias Bourakac of Bully’s Deli said,

"I’m for it. The inspection goes through the Health Department. We passed it, we did very good. No problems, no violations."

Frank Berascha of Famous Famiglia said,

"We had almost 90 percent last year. Everything is perfect. I would have no worries."

In London-lite, the health unit is expected to announce Thursday that it will start posting inspection results online and that’s fine by restaurateurs contacted by The Free Press.

Vanessa Willis, co-owner of the Church Key said,

"I think that’s exactly how it should be done. I think the community has the right to know what restaurants are working properly and what ones are not."

Felipe Gomes, owner of Aroma said conscientious eatery owners spend thousands of dollars on equipment, supplies and training to keep operations safe and healthy, and those who cut corners should be exposed, adding, "You are dealing with the health and safety of people."
 

Calif. Jack in the Box closed due to sewage backup

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Fast-food joint Jack in the Box may have a great food safety program after its 1993 E. coli O157:H7 disaster which killed four and sickened over 600, but that ain’t worth much if an outlet allows raw shit to flood into the kitchen.

The polite write-up on the inspection for the restaurant, at 1440 Moraga Way, Contra Costa County, California, says it was ordered closed Feb. 1 after inspectors discovered the floor sink, a drain that is connected to sewers and other contaminated water, was flooding the kitchen.

Contaminated wastewater was found on the floor near areas where food is prepared and dishes are washed.

Breakfast all-day.
 

Restaurant in Inverness, UK ‘ignored basic’ rules, fined £4,000

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Hygiene standards were ignored, handwashing sucked, and food was open to contamination, so the operator of the Shapla Tandoori in Inverness, U.K., was fined £4,000 at Inverness Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

BBC News reported that environmental health officer Patricia Sheldon said,

"Even the most basic principles of food hygiene and safety were clearly being ignored at the time of our visit, including the provision of suitable hand washing facilities, keeping the premises clean and storing and handling food safely."

Ireland reports 17% increase in food safety enforcement orders in 2009

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The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today stated that there were a total of 54 Enforcement Orders – including 34 Closure Orders — served for breaches in food safety legislation in 2009 compared with 46 in 2008, an increase totaling 17%.

The FSAI today re-emphasized that it is unacceptable that food businesses were continuing to breach food safety laws and warned all food business operators to place robust food safety measures and hygiene practices top of their agenda for the new decade or face the full rigors of the law being imposed.

Prof Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI, said,

“Consumers have to be confident that the food they are eating is safe to eat and the FSAI will continue to take a zero tolerance policy to breaches of food safety legislation. Food business operators should take full advantage of the information and support made available by the FSAI and its official agencies to ensure a basic and consistent food safety management plan is developed and put in place in line with legislation.”

Rats set to reproduce with global warming; restaurant inspections – and YouTube videos — will get uglier

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 The aptly named Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) reports that a survey of British farmers and countryside managers found 61% of respondents noticed a rising rat population already and 74% believed that climate change would exacerbate the problem.

The survey is corroborated by the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA), which found a 15% year-on-year increase in treatments in local authorities for rat infestations.

CRRU chairman, Dr Alan Buckle, said the UK rural rat population consumes an estimated 200t of food a day that would otherwise be destined for humans. One in every two farm fires, he adds, is believed to be started by rat damage causing electricity cables to short.

Even in Kansas, rats have twice sought shelter in our parked car’s engine and gnawed through the ignition wires.

And if those rats are frolicking and fornicating in the country, their numbers will only get worse in the city.

According to the CRRU:

• One rat produces about 40 faecal pellets and 15ml of urine each day, or 14,600 and five litres respectively per year.

• Salmonella, leptospira, toxoplasma, listeria, campylobacter and cryptosporidium are some of the highly pathogenic organisms carried by rats.

Safest restaurant in the city of Harrisburg (PA)?

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It might look good today, but by cleaning up is the Aramark-managed Capitol cafeteria the “safest restaurant in the city of Harrisburg”?

PennLive.com reports that after being closed by Pennsylvania officials on December 17th following an inspection that revealed rodent droppings, underheated dishwashing water and poor food handling procedures, Capitol is trying to clean up their image. Bruce Walton, vice president for operations of Aramark was cited as saying that prior to the closing, more than 1,500 customers ate at the Capitol cafeteria on busy weekdays and that rebuilding that steady clientele will take time.

After a thorough clean-up, a new pest control program with Ecolab and contracting with a company to provide surprise audits, Aramark district manager Andre Obendorfer was quoted as saying “This is the safest restaurant to eat in in the city of Harrisburg.”

Ah, the safest food/safest restaurant comment; impossible to back-up with evidence and leaves everyone who eats there with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Walton, by not disclosing any firings or discipline, downplayed what might be the most important change — personnel. He was quoted as saying that they “did make changes in our team.” Rodent control and a cold dishwasher can lead to public health issues, but other violations found on December 17th including indirect cross-contamination (handling potentially contaminated equipment and then going to clean equipment, possibly leaving pathogens for the next person) and not having paper towels, demonstrate a lack of a food safety culture. A personnel and management issue.

Food safety culture is a set of values wherein food safety risks are openly identified, discussed, and addressed. What this means is that anyone who works there — from manager to dishwasher — knows that paper towels can reduce risks so they refill the dispenser. Food safety is supported from the organization but it’s the front-line folks who hold the health of patrons in their hands. An organization like Aramark needs to be building the food safety culture capacity behind the scenes, not just touting how clean everything looks now.

To assure patrons of their commitment to food safety, the article reports that Aramark will have staff on site to answer questions, use guest chefs and in the most bizarre step, revamp cafeteria stations such as turning the pizza station into an “Italian zone.” I guess visitors to the Capitol Complex have the perception that Italian food is safer than pizza?