Sacramento County inspectors close burger joint after finding mice droppings. Which one?
Sacramento County health inspectors recently closed a local burger joint after identifying serious health violations, including mice droppings and mold.
According to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide, restaurants are assigned a placard — green, yellow or red — based on inspection results.
A green placard indicates the establishment has passed inspection, while a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, which are usually corrected or mitigated during the inspection process.
A red placard, however, represents an “imminent danger to public health and safety” and leads to a suspended health permit until all issues are resolved.
Major vermin infestations and other serious hazards can prompt a red placard.
The county conducts around 14,000 inspections annually, with roughly 97% of establishments passing, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.
Approximately 1% of inspections result in closures.
During previous inspections, health inspectors closed a local Japanese restaurant due to an active cockroach infestation and sewage backing up in restrooms.
Teriyaki Stop, 185 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 100, in Folsom, has since passed a reinspection and received a green placard.
Here are the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Nov. 7 through Wednesday, Nov. 13, as of Thursday afternoon:
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com. The Bee publishes weekly updates on health inspections across Sacramento County.
Sacramento County health inspectors close local burger joint
California Burgers, 8537 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights, had 18 violations on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
Sacramento County health inspectors closed the hamburger joint due to numerous major health violations, including widespread mice droppings and cleanliness issues.
Inspectors discovered more than 50 mouse droppings on the dry food storage floor and an additional 20 on a table beneath the meat slicer.
The inspection also revealed extensive unsanitary conditions throughout the restaurant.
Heavy grease and food debris had accumulated on the floor under and between cooking equipment, while mold-like growth was visible on racks inside the walk-in refrigerator.
Food debris buildup was on floors in the walk-in refrigerator, on the can opener’s piercing part and inside various kitchen appliances, including the preparation refrigerator, the microwave and a three-door upright freezer.
Grease and food debris covered the walls beneath the prep table near the stove, and inspectors noted syrup buildup on trays under soda bib boxes in the dry storage area.
Cloths lined with heavy food debris were also discovered in the floor sink beneath the three-compartment sink.
Potentially hazardous foods, such as shelled eggs, beans and tomatoes, were at improper temperatures.
Structural issues in the restaurant also contributed to violations.
Inspectors noted small gaps where daylight was visible at the bottom of the back door, unsealed holes in the ceiling above soda syrup boxes and open gaps around water and soda lines above the ice machine.
There was an open clean-out pipe under the three-compartment sink, and an open electrical conduit was seen near the dry storage bulk flour bin.
Additionally, broken tiles were scattered throughout the cook’s line, dishwashing and back prep areas, with a bulging wall observed behind the hand sink.
Personal items, including an employee’s cell phone and water bottle, were stored on a prep table in the back area.
There were tools and other non-food-related items under a table holding the meat slicer.
Lastly, inspectors said, the restaurant’s health permit was expired.
In addition, the latest inspection report was not available for review, the manager’s food safety certification was either missing or expired and food handler cards were unavailable for all employees.
Inspectors had yet to reinspect the restaurant as of Thursday, Nov. 14.
