Why did Sacramento County inspectors close grocery store? Blocked sink, meat on floor and more
Sacramento County health inspectors shut down a local Mexican supermarket after discovering a blocked sink, a grimy ice machine and food being stored on the floor.
A 7-Eleven location and nine other restaurants received yellow placards due to various safety violations, ranging from mold to potentially hazardous foods at unsafe temperatures.
While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide.
A red placard, however, signals “imminent danger to public health and safety” and suspends the health permit until violations are corrected. This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination.
In contrast, a green placard means a restaurant passed inspection.
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.
Here are the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, March 13, through Wednesday, March 19, 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.
Mexican supermarket closed due to blocked sink, improperly stored food
La Popular Supermarket, 9180 Kiefer Blvd. Suite A in Sacramento, had 16 violations on Monday, March 17.
Sacramento County restaurant inspectors shut down the Mexican grocery store after discovering improperly stored food and other issues.
The kitchen hand sink was “completely blocked by crates, totes and a storage rack,” according to a March 17 report.
Meanwhile, the water in a three-compartment warewash sink was too cold because the water heater was “in disrepair.”
Two whole tomatoes were stored in direct contact with raw shell eggs in a cooler.
There was debris on a plastic baffle plate inside the ice machine.
A tray of raw chicken was stored above raw beef and pork in a walk-in refrigerator, and there were containers of raw chicken and menudo were on the floor of the fridge. In addition, bags of onions and boxes of mangoes were stored on the floor in the retail area.
“Old food debris/residue/grease build-up” was on the floor below cooking equipment as well as floor below warewash sink and around the grease interceptor and speed rack near the hot holding case for meat, the report said.
Wood shelves in dry food storage area were deteriorated.
After washing a grilling fork at the two-compartment sink located in meat preparatoin area, an employee placed the fork on the clean utensil storage rack without sanitizing it.
La Popular Supermarket passed reinspection on Tuesday, March 18, and received a green placard.
A store representative did not reply to The Sacramento Bee’s request for comment Thursday afternoon.
Sacramento 7-Eleven, local restaurants cited for safety violations
Morning Fork, 1111 21st St. in Sacramento, had 18 violations on Monday, March 17.
The brunch restaurant received a yellow placard for food debris buildup on a meat slicer and other food safety violations.
Sacramento County inspectors found a dented can of almond paste on a dry storage shelf.
A loose bag of vegan patties was stored in an upright freezer, and there was a loose bag of rice stored under a preparation table. Two containers of whipped butter and a scooping utensil were stored in a customer dining area next to the entrance to the kitchen.
The menu did not feature disclosures next to menu items that may be served undercooked.
The walk-in cooler had a leak from a condenser fan.
Meanwhile, inspectors observed excess grease around a tallow bin. The bin’s lid was left open outside the back door.
Morning Fork was reinspected and issued a green placard on Tuesday, March 18.
Hoa Viet Noodles and Grill, 8251 Bruceville Road, Suite 120, in Sacramento, had 14 violations on Monday, March 17.
The Vietnamese restaurant was cited for a lack of soap at the kitchen hand-washing sink and other issues.
“Potentially hazardous foods” such as bean sprouts, shrimp, tofu and tripe were outside of proper holding temperatures, according to the March 17 report.
Eggrolls in a container at a deep fryer station did not have proper time logs, employees had saved eggrolls from the previous day.
Inspectors found food debris and residue around the blade, blade housing and meat contact surfaces of the facility’s meat slicer.
In addition, an employee had filled the kitchen hand-washing station’s soap dispenser with hand sanitizer instead of soap.
Hoa Viet Noodles and Grill was reinspected on Thursday, March 20, and passed with a green placard.
Folsom Palace, 5450 Sunrise Blvd., Suite E, in Citrus Heights, had 13 violations on Thursday, March 13.
The Asian bistro got a yellow placard from county inspectors for not using the correct cleaning procedures or keeping foods at the correct temperatures.
Fried chicken, raw chicken and chow mein noodles measured outside of the temperature range considered safe.
An employee didn’t wash his hands after handling unclean equipment and then handling food. When an inspector asked the employee to wash his hands, he did not use soap.
There was no soap at hand-washing sinks in the kitchen, the report said.
Employees did not know the procedures for hand-washing and proper holding temperatures, the report said.
An old mayonnaise container was being used to hold tea in the front area.
There was no sanitizer on wiping cloths at a prep area or in a dishwasher during the sanitizing cycle.
Folsom Palace passed a reinspection and got a green placard on Friday, March 14.
Ming Palace, 3405 Watt Ave. in Sacramento, had 12 violations on Tuesday, March 18.
The Chinese restaurant received a yellow placard after inspectors observed “potentially hazardous foods” at unsafe temperatures.
Raw chicken was left unattended in a large stainless steel bowl and measured too warm to be considered safe.
A small container of fried tempura chicken was stored above a cold well in a cold prep top, and there was improperly thawed chicken in a bus bin. These violations were immediately corrected.
No valid food safety certificate was available at the time of inspection. This was corrected within seven days.
There was black slime-like residue buildup inside an ice machine, and inspectors found unclean knives in a clean storage bin.
Employees were eating at the prep line.
Ming Palace had not been reinspected as of Thursday, March 20.
7-Eleven, 2401 Fruitridge Road in Sacramento, had 11 violations on Tuesday, March 18.
The chain convenience store received a yellow placard due to numerous food safety violations.
Inspectors observed a number of “potentially hazardous foods” outside of proper holding temperatures, including sausage biscuit, beef and cheese burrito and bean and cheese burritos.
An open container in a cooler behind the register had “moldy cheese,” the March 18 report said.
The hand soap dispenser was broken and taped at the hand sink behind the register.
Employees were told to stop storing food and drinks in a restroom.
Tow soda lines were leaking from bagged sodas in a back storage room.
7-Eleven was reinspected on Wednesday, March 19, and received a green placard.
Shinwari Market and Restaurant, 3323 Watt Ave., Suite 11, in Sacramento, had 20 violations on Tuesday, March 18.
Inspectors gave the Middle Eastern grocery store and restaurant a yellow placard after observing that the hand-washing station across from a three-compartment sink was completely blocked by mixing bowls.
The restaurant had excessive old food debris on, under and behind the blade guard of a meat bandsaw.
Employees lacked food safety knowledge, including how to wash, rinse and sanitize the meat bandsaw.
California food handler cards were not available for review. This is a repeat violation.
There was no cold water at a kitchen hand-washing station.
Raw eggs were stored over ready-to-eat milk products in a walk-in cooler, and there was raw gyro over ready-to-eat samosas in a two-door upright freezer. Meanwhile, raw meats were stored in ink-printed T-shirt bags in a freezer.
Shinwari Market and Restaurant had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, March 20.
Sana Market and Bakery, 11080 White Rock Road, Suite 200, in Rancho Cordova, had 12 violations on Wednesday, March 19.
The market and bakery was cited for food safety violations including empty towel dispensers in the kitchen and bakery.
Inspectors saw raw shelled eggs stored on top of the tortilla box in a walk-in refrigerator in the kitchen.
Food containers were stored on the floor in the walk-in refrigerator. Food containers must be stored six inches off the floor.
Inspectors observed black mold in the bakery’s sink.
Sana Market and Bakery was re-inspected on Wednesday, March 19, and passed with a green card.
Homero’s Mexican Food, 7465 Rush River Drive in Sacarmento, had seven violations on Tuesday, March 18.
The Mexican restaurant received a yellow placard from inspectors for having raw eggs in a cold-top cooler overflowing their plastic container.
Inspectors also found too-warm cooked ground beef.
A men’s restroom did not have toilet paper available a the time of inspection.
A raw package of chorizo was stored above bacon in walk-in freezer — a repeat violation — and a pot of beans was on the floor between a hand sink and a steam table.
Homero’s Mexican Food was reinspected on Wednesday, March 19, and passed with a green placard.
Carniceria Lopez, 5550 Franklin Blvd., Suite 100, in Sacramento, had eight violations on Tuesday, March 18.
The Mexican butcher shop was cited by inspectors for not keeping “potentially hazardous foods” at the correct temperatures.
According to inspectors, 15 pounds of carnitas were outside the temperature range considered safe for consumption.
Employees were using bar soap to wash hands instead of a soap pump.
The two-door upright cooler was leaking, although no contamination of food was observed during the inspection.
Carniceria Lopez had a second inspection on Wednesday, March 19, and was given a yellow placard by inspectors. The facility will require an additional reinspection.
Noroc Restaurant, 4715 Manzanita Ave. in Carmichael, had 11 violations on Wednesday, March 19.
The Eastern European restaurant was cited by county inspectors for having “unidentified cured pork” in a food-saver type bag, according to the March 19 report.
The facility did not know where the meat came from and did not have receipts or invoices showing proof of purchase.
The manager’s food safety certificate had expired.
Inspectors observed a “slime-like” accumulation on the backsplash inside an ice machine.
There was also dried food debris on a meat slicer.
Raw shelled eggs were stored above lemons inside a walk-in refrigerator.
The restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday, March 20.
