Berks food safety inspections found one facility unable to sanitize equipment due to no hot water and had evidence of rodents in kitchen

Sep. 15—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 Aug. 30 and Sept. 12, 2023, that were filed in the state database as of Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m.

Berks

Birdsboro Mart, 6600 Perkiomen Ave., Birdsboro, Sept. 6: nine violations. The Person in Charge does not have adequate control of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. Food facility still does not have available sanitizer test strips to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration at the 3-compartment sink. Food facility is unable to properly clean any food equipment due to a lack of hot water in the facility. Hot water heater is not working. The handwash sinks located in the facility do not have water at a temperature of at least 85°F. The hot water heater is not working. The handwash sink in the back area, near the 3-compartment sink, was blocked by a piece of plexiglass and was not accessible at all times for employee use. One of the lights near the 3-compartment sink is not shielded or shatterproof. Plastic shield is not in place. Exit door located near the restrooms has a gap at the bottom right corner and does not protect against the entry of pests. Food facility inspection indicates evidence of rodent activity in the back kitchen areas. Unused equipment stored in the 3-compartment sink area should be removed from the food facility. Out of compliance.

Boyers Food Market #3568, 410 N. Third St., Womelsdorf, Sept. 5: two violations. Severely dented, swollen, distressed canned items observed in baby formula case are and intended for use or sale in the food facility. removed from sale. Records used for deli slicer cleaning are missing some dates and times in different weeks. Records are incomplete.

Green Acres Golf Inc., 461 S. Northkill Road, Bernville, Sept. 5: one violation. Food facility has an employee who held a Certified Food Manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid.

Grill Volunteer Fire Co. #1, 739 Mountain View Road, Reading, Sept. 5: one violations. The ice mold plate at rear of ice machine has mold across the top.

Nutrition Works, 543 Franklin St., Womelsdorf, Sept. 5: no violations.

Rosa's Family Restaurant, 7156 Bernville Road, Bernville, Sept. 5: two violations. Reach-in freezer gasket has duct tape holding plastic top on underside of lid. Light cover over warewashing room area is broke and must be replaced.

Butler's Pantry, 10 S Summit Ave., Shillington, Sept. 1: no violations.

Kate's Bread Basket, 10 S Summit Ave., Shillington, Sept. 1: no violations.

Little Caesars, 502 Lancaster Ave., Shillington, Sept. 1: six violations. Food Employees observed working with exposed foods with fingernail polish and / or artificial fingernails. Gloves to be worn at all times until removed. Observed shelving and rack equipment, in kitchen and walk in cooler area, with an accumulation of old dirt, food residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces. Racks must be cleaned. Also dish rack and 3-bay sink is dirty at wall areas. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Floors in rear kitchen and under dough mixer area are dirty have food debris under sinks etc. Rear door to the outside, located in the kitchen area of the food facility is not closing properly leaving a gap for the entry of pests and rodents. Food facility inspection indicates evidence of ant infestation at warewashing sink areas, but facility does have a pest control program. Kitchen ceiling vent area of the food facility is extremely dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning.

Chicho Bella Pizzeria & Subs, 2342 Lancaster Pike, Shillington, Aug. 31: six violations. Ice machine in basement has mold slime build up around ice mold plate and back interior wall area. Observed heavy old Soda splash residue buildup on splash guard area behind soda fountain nozzles. Plumbing system not maintained in good repair — observed drain pipe leaking at the basement mop/utility sink area. Wall material in the warewashing sink area is no longer durable, smooth, non-porous, non-absorbent and must be repaired. Food facility inspection indicates evidence of trapped roach insect activity in basement/kitchen areas, but facility has a weekly pest control program in place. Shelving and floor around flour rack has spilled flour and food debris, rack in kitchen has dirt/grease build up on bottom of rack areas.

Dollar General #15084, 2471 Lancaster Pike, Shillington, Aug. 31: no violations.

Matts Steaks West Lawn, 57 W. Wyomissing Blvd., West Lawn, Aug. 31: two violations. Toilet rooms do not have a self-closing door. Working containers in kitchen area, used for storing —chemicals, cleaners— taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical.

Sunoco Reading, 110 Revere Blvd., West Lawn, Aug. 31: no violations.

Victor's Cafe, 2012 Penn Ave., Reading, Aug. 31: three violations. Observed deeply scored/peeling cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Basement walkin cooler has mold on beer line boards and exterior of lines. Observed clean food equipment and/or utensils in kitchen shelf area, stored uncovered or not inverted.

West Lawn United Methodist Church Community Center, 103 Woodside Ave., West Lawn, Aug. 31: no violations.

Muhlenberg Township

None filed.

Reading

None filed.

UPDATES

The following reports for the period of Aug. 16 to Aug. 29, 2023, were added to the state's database after Aug. 31 and did not appear in the previous Berks food safety report.

Berks

Folino Estate Vineyard & Winery, 340 Old Route 22, Kutztown, Aug. 17: five violations. The hot water sanitizing dishwasher in the kitchen is reaching proper temperature, but the temperature display dial for the final rinse is not giving an accurate temperature reading. Some interior surfaces of the ice machine, food contact surfaces, were observed to have residue and were not clean to sight and touch. Corrected immediately by shutting off the machine for cleaning. Facility has bagged ice available to use until it has been cleaned. There is an accumulation of dirt and old food debris on the floor under some of the equipment at the cooking/prep line. Observed a build-up of debris on the drain line under the sprayer sink bowl at the dishwasher. Food facility inspection indicates evidence of insect activity in some areas of the kitchen. Facility does have a pest control program, but is considering increasing frequency of service.

The Ironstone, 120 E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, Aug. 16: three violations. Chicken and ribs were observed stored open with no covering in the walk in cooler. COS. The soda gun nozzle at the bar, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. COS. Exterior walk in cooler door located in the kitchen area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals.

Muhlenberg Township

Fantasy Skating Center LLC, 500 George St., Aug. 29: one violation. Food employees observed in food prep area, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats

, or beard covers.