Rodents, fruit flies among critters found in latest food safety inspections

The state Department of Agriculture conducts annual inspections of food-serving businesses to ensure public safety and safe food-handling practices. Schools are inspected twice per year, according to the Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratories.  

Whether an establishment is considered compliant or non-compliant is the discretion of the inspector. There are, however, several violations for which inspectors should automatically consider establishments non-compliant. Called "critical violations," they include food temperature issues, employee hygiene and issues with chemicals and how they're handled.  

Depending on the severity of the situation, inspectors and their supervisors could file citations or close an establishment. 

Inspected June 9, 2022 

L & J 530 INC, D/B/A M&M LOUNGE - 530 MARYLAND AVE. - York, PA 17404 

• Inside the microwave at top, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Observed dirty knives on magnetic strip in the kitchen area. 
• Food facility inspection indicates evidence of rodents/insect activity in kitchen area. 
• The Person in Charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. 
• Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Observed the door glides of the cooler dirty to sight and touch. Bottom of the cooler in bar area is dirty and in need of cleaning 
• Utensils stored in drawer are not stored all one direction to prevent touching food contact end while retrieving 
• Chemicals were stored above or on the same shelf with food, equipment, and/or single service articles 
• Observed wet wiping cloths not being stored in sanitizer solution. 
• Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kits to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration 
• Observed single-service, single-use articles stored at 3-bay sink and prep cooler areas which were not in the original protective package. 
• Observed single-service, single-use articles stored in basement area directly on the floor, and not 6 inches above the floor. 
• Waste receptacle for disposable paper towels not provided. 

Inspected June 7, 2022 

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE 1800 LOUCKS UNIT A675 York, PA 17408 

• Observed two reach-in coolers, one two-door and one three-door with standing water and ice. Observed an accumulation of ice on the walk-in freezer floor indicating the unit is not working correctly. 
• Observed the entire facility floors and walls with accumulation of dirt, dust and food debris. 
• Observed a bottle of Clorox and a spray bottle of Clorox store with food. The bottle was stored on a shelf in the back room and the the spray bottle was stored up front beside bottles of honey. Observed a can of raid stored in the back room with red wine vinegar and black beans. 
• Food employees observed in customer service area, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard covers. 
• Can opener, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. 
• Observed 5 ceiling tiles in the front counter area that are water stained and in need of replacement. 
• Observed more than 5 small fruit fly like insects in the customer service counter area and 10 or more in the back room near the sink. 
• Observed spray bottle in the mop sink area with a blue liquid with no common name label. 
• Observed three-compartment sink leaking around handles of drains, water is being caught in a bucket below. This needs to be properly repaired. At front counter, water pump is leaking and draining into a bucket that's not being emptied at a frequency to keep pests away. 
• The Person in Charge doesn't demonstrate adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. 
• Observed walk-in cooler floor with an accumulation of food and liquid spillage. 
• Observed all Bain Marie units, in front area, having a large accumulation of dirt, old caked on food residue and soil debris all around the inside doors, underside of units and crevices at the time of inspection. 

— Reach Anthony Maenza at amaenza@yorkdispatch.com or @atmaenza on Twitter. 

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