Latest Health Inspection Results in Lebanon County
The state's Agriculture Department recently conducted a series of health inspections throughout Lebanon County. The inspections were undertaken to evaluate the cleanliness and health standards of the establishments and are not necessarily indicative of their overall cleanliness. Violations, if any, were usually fixed before the health inspector left the premises. All the eateries listed were found to be compliant unless stated otherwise.
Spotless Establishments
Several establishments had a clean bill of health with no violations found during the health inspection. These include a popular cinema, a pretzel shop located in a well-known department store, a local meat market, and a few others. These businesses demonstrated excellent health standards and were fully compliant with the state's health codes.
Violations Detected and Corrected
However, some establishments had violations that needed immediate attention. A local coffeehouse and creperie, for example, had torn rubber gaskets on the refrigerator door and the surface surrounding the coffee steamer had an accumulation of dust and dirt. The establishment was also using sanitizer at an extremely high concentration not approved for food contact sanitizing. All these issues were corrected on the spot.
Similarly, a café had commercially processed turkey in the cooler that wasn’t marked with the date it was opened. A mini-market was observed to have a build-up of black matter on the cola dispenser and the plastic parts of the front face of the slushy machine. They also had hot dogs and tornados held at temperatures below the required 135°F on the roller grill. These violations were also rectified immediately.
More Serious Violations
Some establishments had violations that were of a more serious nature. A pizza place, for instance, did not have soap available at the handwash sink in the rear of the facility. Another food facility was found to lack a covered waste receptacle for sanitary napkins in the women's toilet room, and toilet tissue was not on the dispenser in either the men's or the women's toilet rooms. There was also no sign or poster reminding food employees to wash their hands.
Another establishment, a smokehouse outlet, had dock doors that didn’t protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals. This outlet was also missing nutritional facts on some of its food items. These violations were also addressed and corrected.
Immediate Action Needed
However, some establishments had violations that needed immediate action. A coffeehouse and creperie had two food employees who were observed donning single-use gloves without prior hand washing. This issue was discussed with the manager and corrected on the spot.
A coffee shop showed evidence of rodent activity in the front counter areas, even though it had a pest control program in place. Also, a pizza place had an accumulation of dust in the fan guard of the walk-in cooler. Lastly, a fast-food restaurant didn't have a certified food employee available during all hours of operation.
While these violations were serious, it's reassuring to know that the state's Agriculture Department is keeping a close eye on food establishments in Lebanon County. Regular inspections ensure that these businesses maintain high health standards and provide safe food for their customers.