Athlete of the Year finalists

Susan Miers Smith, Reading Eagle, Pa.
·6 min read

Jun. 23—Berks County is divided into three jurisdictions: Reading, Muhlenberg Township and the rest of the county. Reading and Muhlenberg Township have their own food safety inspectors and the rest of the county is inspected by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspectors.

The results will be posted every other week. All food vendors are inspected at least once a year. Other inspections can be triggered by a change of owner, a follow up if a facility had been out of compliance or by a complaint filed with the PDA.

View any vendor's last inspection report online. Click on the PDF version of the inspection report for all details.

If a food provider is labeled out of compliance, that means it has one or more violations that require a return visit by an inspector. The establishment is given time to fix the problem(s) and remains open for business.

Complaints can be filed online with the PDA.

Below are the results of inspections conducted between June 7 and June 20, 2023, that were filed in the state database as of June 22 at 5 p.m.

Berks

Philly Soft Pretzel Factory #153, 2850 Penn Ave., West Lawn, June 7: 12 violations. The food facility operator shall be the person in charge or shall designate a person in charge and shall ensure that a Person in Charge is present at the food facility during all hours of operation. Food employees observed in kitchen area, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard covers. Corrected. Hot dog pretzels food were held at 131 °F, in the hot case area, rather than 135°F or above as required. Corrected. Observed laminate countertop being used as a food prep direct cutting surface in the food facility and is not durable under this usage condition. countertops are worn and have missing laminate. Temperature measuring device for ensuring proper temperature of equipment is not available or readily accessible in cheese cooler equipment. Observed racks, tables etc. equipment, in entire facility with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces. Also floors are full of spilled pretzel dough and flour debris everywhere. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Handwash and warewashing sink area are dirty. No paper towels or soap at rear kitchen hand sink. Floor dough mixing area is made of tiles that are missing and have exposed wood and is not a smooth, easily cleanable surface. Walls in the pretzel room at window has chipped peeling paint at work table and is not sealed to provide a smooth, non-absorbent, easily cleanable surface. Also wall at bags of flour is cracked and torn with exposed drywall. Rear door to the outside, located in the rear kitchen area of the food facility was propped open. Corrected. All ceiling vents of the food facility extremely dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning. Out of compliance.

Muhlenberg Township

Country Lane Poultry & Produce, 2934 N. Fifth Street Highway, June 17: no violations.

Country View Kitchen LLC, 2934 N. Fifth Street Highway, June 17: six violations. Food dispensing utensil in 10X sugar observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food. Personal items (purse/cell phone) observed stored on bulk food bin/food storage shelf. Store personal items away from food/supplies. Observed hot pads that were frayed/torn with loose pieces of fabric that potentially could contaminate foods. Food contact surface of ice cooler is not a smooth, easily cleanable surface. Bulk bin (sugar) exterior is soiled. Utensil bin drawers are soiled. The handwashing sink was blocked by a table and not accessible at all times for employee use. Floor tiles are torn with missing pieces in multiple places.

So Good Soups And Salads, 2934 N. Fifth Street Highway, June 17: five violations. Potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food prepared in the food facility and held for more than 48 hours, located in the refrigerator, is not being date marked. Prepackaged soups are not labeled properly with the name of product, ingredient statement, net weight, distributed by statement and/or nutritional facts. Prepackaged soups are not labeled to clearly indicate any "Big 9" allergen ingredients and / or the allergen warning statement. Food contact surface of plastic coated shelving in 2-door under counter refrigerator are not smooth, easily cleanable and/or resistant to pitting, cracking or scratching. Signage at 3-compartment sink should flow left to right or right to left, WASH-RINSE-SANITIZE. Bottom interior of reach-in refrigerator, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch.

Reading

None filed.

UPDATES

The following reports for the period of May 24 to June 6, 2023, were added to the state's database after June 8 and did not appear in the previous Berks food safety report.

Berks

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, 17 Clover Hill Lane, Robesonia , June 1: no violations.

Kirbyville Farm Market, 14030 Kutztown Road, Fleetwood, May 30: three violations. Observed some food items stored directly on the floor in the hall and in the walk-in freezer, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Observed dried food debris on some surfaces of the milkshake mixer. There is an accumulation of old food debris and miscellaneous items on the floor under the counter/equipment in the ice cream area.

Shady Mountain Market, 219 Dryville Road, Fleetwood, May 30: one violation. The three-compartment sink is not sealed at the junction with the wall, to prevent splash from accumulating between the sink and the wall.

A Plus Sunoco 40214h (7-Eleven), 624 N. Park Road, Wyomissing, May 26: two violations. Observed trash and a liquid spill on the floor under the milk/tea display shelves in the walk-in cooler. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view.

Turkey Hill Minit Market #242, 2901 Papermill Road, Wyomissing, May 26: no violations.

Becca's Gourmet Coffee & Donuts, 845 B Woodland Road, Wyomissing, May 25: no violations.

Clover Hill Meats, 845 B Woodland Road, Wyomissing, May 25: no violations.

Deli Station, 845 B Woodland Road, Wyomissing, May 25: two violations. Food facility in operation more than 90 days and has not employed a certified food employee as required. Owner is in the process of signing up for a class this summer. Several lights bulbs in the display cases are not shielded.

Homewood Suites By Hilton, 2801 Papermill Road, Wyomissing, May 25: one violation. Observed juice dispensing equipment with residue accumulating on the non-food contact portion of the machine.

Stoltzfus Luncheonette, 845 B Woodland Road, Wyomissing, May 25: three violations. Food employee observed preparing potatoes not wearing proper hair restraint, such as a net or hat. Observed some food items stored directly on the floor in the walk-in cooler, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Observed deeply scored cutting board on the bain marie near the cooking line.

Stonersville Hotel, 5701 Boyertown Pike, Birdsboro, May 25: no violations.