Sacramento County inspectors close Chinese restaurant due to rodent droppings. Which one?
Sacramento County health inspectors shut down a local Chinese restaurant after finding evidence of an active rodent infestation.
The inspectors also discovered improperly stored food, grease buildup, an out-of-order urinal and other code violations.
According to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide, restaurants are assigned a placard — green, yellow or red — based on inspection results.
A green placard signals the establishment has passed inspection, while a yellow placard indicates inspectors discovered two or more major violations, which are usually corrected or mitigated while the inspection process is underway.
A red placard, however, signals “imminent danger to public health and safety” and suspends the health permit until violations are corrected.
Serious vermin infestations and other major hazards can lead to the issuing of a red placard.
The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually, with 97% of establishments passing, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.
Approximately 1% of inspections result in a closure, he said.
During previous inspections, health inspectors closed a downtown convenience store after uncovering significant health code violations, including an active cockroach infestation.
7-Eleven at 802 J St. in Sacramento has since passed a re-inspection and received a green placard.
Here are the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Dec. 5 through Wednesday, Dec. 11, as of Thursday, Dec. 12:
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.
Health inspectors close Sacramento Chinese restaurant
Hoi Cin Chinese Restaurant, 9555 Folsom Blvd. in Sacramento, had 15 violations on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Sacramento County health inspectors closed the Cantonese restaurant due to a variety of major health violations, including rodent droppings throughout the facility and cleanliness issues.
Inspectors found evidence of vermin activity in 10 places throughout the establishment, including three rodent droppings in a bowl of panko bread crumbs.
More than 80 rodent droppings were underneath the dish machine and up to 150 were in the janitorial sink and faucet area.
Inspectors discovered more droppings on the floor of the dry food storage room, as well as on the shelf used for storing clean dishes and the table where the rice cooker was kept, according to the report.
Other violations included improper food storage and potentially hazardous ingredients at unsafe temperatures.
A container of raw pork left out on a cart near the cook line had thawed to a dangerous temperature.
Raw chicken was stored above cooked beef in a kitchen cooler.
Additional issues included improper cleaning practices at the establishment.
Inspectors witnessed dirty mop water and food debris on the pavement outside the restaurant’s back door, and an employee was spotted cooking with a pair of tongs left in stagnant water.
Old food residue and grease had built up in multiple areas, including metal racks in the refrigerator and on the floor below the wok stove.
The men’s restroom had a urinal that was out of operation, the report said.
Inspectors had yet to reinspect the eatery as of the afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 12.
