Several eateries get 'B' score
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 15, 2016 9:57 AM
Seven area restaurants scored a "B" during the most recent inspection by the Health Department, Kevin Whitley, environmental health director, told the Board of Health on Wednesday.
As part of his report, he noted that there were no grades below a "B" for the period of April 1 through Aug. 31.
"The lowest we had was 84.5," he said.
Four of the seven on the list requested a regrade, with the subsequent visit of a health inspector bringing the scores up in each case, Whitley said.
In all cases, the visits are unannounced, he said.
During his presentation, he gave a detailed account of some of the issues each business had which brought down the numbers.
China Eight on Berkeley Boulevard first earned an 89, but after the regrade, received a 92.
"The person in charge, what we call PIC, did not have food safety training so that was two points automatically deducted," Whitley said of the initial visit. "They had some children in the kitchen area, some foods were uncovered in the freezer."
The report indicated there had also been raw chicken stored above beef in the walk-in (refrigerator) and eggs and fish were stored beside vegetables.
El Mazatlan, on U.S. 55 West, earned an 86.5 during its May 24 inspection.
"They have not requested a regrade," Whitley said.
The lack of food safety training by a person on site was again at the top of the list of infractions.
Board chairman Bob Cagle asked where training is made available.
Wayne Community College offers the Safe Serve course, Whitley said. The three-day training costs $120.
Other issues at the Mexican restaurant, he continued, included not following procedures for hand washing.
"They didn't wash their hands when they changed gloves," Whitley said. "We always say, gloves aren't a substitute for hand-washing."
He explained that is particularly true when the worker may be doing several things, going from food handling to answering a phone, removing the gloves and reapplying them. Handwashing is required at every stage, he said.
The restaurant was also cited for having some food uncovered in a walk-in cooler, some food out at room temperature, flies in the kitchen area, and personal items stored on a work surface area.
Garden Thai Cuisine, on South Center Street, also received an 86.5 and had not requested a regrade.
In addition to there being no food protection manager on duty, the business lost points for food temperature issues, procedures for thawing foods properly and floors and ceilings in need of repair.
Fast Trip Mart, on North William Street, received an 88 the first go-round on Aug. 16, requested a revisit, which was made Aug. 29, and received a new grade of 98.
The first inspection had noted the lack of a certified food manager and towels at the hand sink and problems labeling food containers and maintaining cold food temperatures.
Mount Olive Chinese Restaurant received the lowest score on the latest list, with an 84.5 in early August.
"But then on regrade they got a 99, so they corrected all the issues," Whitley said.
On the first go round, the buffet restaurant cited cut cabbage stored over raw meats, issues with food temperatures, live roaches and ants and cleaning needed throughout the premises.
"A little bit of everything," Whitley said. "But they corrected those issues."
New China Fun, on U.S. 70 West, earned an 87 during the Aug. 16 inspection. When a follow-up visit was requested, the business raised its score to 98.5.
The report said on the first visit, utensils were not properly stored, flies were visible and some food was stored on the floor.
Ola Mae's in Seven Springs received an 87.5 and has not requested a regrade, Whitley said.
In addition to there being no certified food protection manager on duty, the business had raw food stored over raw fish and some issues with cleanliness in restrooms and floors and storage of chemicals in proximity to the food area.
Board member Thurston Greenwood asked if any of the aforementioned businesses had shown up on the list during previous inspection periods.
"Garden Thai and El Mazatlan (did)," Whitley said. "They kind of float back and forth, low A's and B occasionally.
"Since we have been doing this, it's the first time I have seen Ola Mae's or the Fast Trip but the rest of them kind of float in the low 90s, 91, and they'll have a B and go back up."
Cagle had concerns about the food safety training, since it popped up in several cases.
"That's something we could take a look at and maybe make it a little easier," he said. "I think in the big picture that would help around the county."
Whitley said the situation is further complicated by the fact that more than one employee would need to have received it.
"It's not like you can have one person trained and the business is good -- that person has to be there," he said.
This presents a challenge to some of the smaller businesses, and those open longer hours.
"If somebody works an eight-hour shift and you're open from say 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. you've got to have multiple people trained or that one person has got to be there all the time," Whitley said. "It's not like you can have one person on your staff, from your kitchen staff, that has it and you're OK. That person has to be there while we're there and you're operating."
Cagle suggested studying the issue to see how the training might be more accessible.
"That's the one thing I got out of the presentation," he said. "To help the business and to help the community, (we can) take the lead to figure out a way to make that available for the small businesses and restaurants."