Marion County restaurant inspections: critical violations

The following restaurant inspections with critical violations were conducted by Marion Public Health Dec. 26 through Jan. 3:

● North Central Correctional Complex, 670 Marion-Williamsport Road E., Marion, Dec. 26. Handwashing sink is being used for purposes other than handwashing (critical, corrected during inspection). Observed cups at the hand sinks that were being used for drinking by food employees. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical, corrected).

Observed buckets of quat sanitizer with concentrations below the approved level due to the sanitizer dispenser not dispensing enough sanitizer. Person in charge (PIC) will add additional sanitizer to the buckets to meet the required concentration until the dispenser has been repaired.

● Clover and Merchant Duchess, 1070 Mt. Vernon Ave., Marion, Dec. 27. Food package(s) received in poor condition (critical, corrected during inspection). Observed two dented cans of pizza sauce on the kitchen shelves. PIC removed the dented cans during the inspection to be discarded. Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, TCS foods not properly date marked (critical, corrected).

Observed opened containers of hot dogs, brats, meatballs and bologna not date marked in the prep coolers. PIC dated the brats and meatballs and discarded the hot dogs and bologna due to the date being unknown.

● Taco Bell #38898, 1309 Mt. Vernon Ave., Marion, Dec. 27. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical, corrected during inspection). Observed quat sanitizer in the three-bay sink and in buckets throughout the kitchen to be below the approved concentration due to the sanitizer dispenser not dispensing enough sanitizer. PIC hand-mixed the sanitizer to the approved concentration and will have employees continue doing so until the dispenser has been repaired.

● House of Hunan, 1583 Marion-Waldo Road, Marion, Dec. 28. Food not properly protected from contamination by separation, packaging and segregation (critical, corrected during inspection). Observed a container of raw chicken being stored above a container of raw shrimp. TCS foods not being hot held at the proper temperature (critical, corrected). Observed cooked rice below 135 degrees in the rice warmer. The rice had recently been prepared, so the PIC had the rice reheated to the proper temperature and was advised to monitor the rice warmer temperatures.

Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, TCS foods not properly date marked (critical, corrected). Observed cooked meat in the walk-in cooler that was not date marked. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical, corrected). Observed the chlorine sanitizer concentration above the approved level.

● El Campesino, 1834 Marion-Waldo Road, Marion, Dec. 28. Food package(s) received in poor condition (critical, corrected during inspection). Observed two dented cans on the can shelves. The cans were discarded by the PIC. Improper cooling of TCS food (critical, corrected). Observed rice and queso being improperly cooled. Within an hour of preparation, the queso was sitting in large buckets at room temperature and the rice was in deep pans sitting in the cooler.

PIC had food employees place the queso in shallow pans on ice to rapidly cool the queso to the proper temperature within the required time period. PIC also had food employees reheat the rice to restart the rapid cooling process, then place the reheated rice in shallow pans on ice to cool it to the proper temperature within the required time period.

Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, TCS foods not properly date marked (critical, corrected). Observed cut tomatoes in the walk-in cooler and food in the fajita prep cooler not date marked. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical, corrected). Observed buckets of chlorine sanitizer below the approved concentration in the kitchen and server area.

● Berwick Pizza, 205 Marion St., Green Camp, Dec. 29. Equipment food-contact surfaces or utensils are unclean (critical, corrected during inspection). Observed a build-up of debris in the ice maker.

● Speedway Store #3619, 800 Bellefontaine Ave., Marion, Dec. 29. Chlorine sanitizing solution at incorrect temperature and/or concentration (critical repeat, corrected during inspection). Observed the mechanical dishwasher with chlorine sanitizer below the approved concentration. PIC will have food employees use the three-bay sink for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing until the dishwasher has been repaired.

TCS foods not being hot held at the proper temperature (critical, corrected). Observed chicken strips below 135 degrees in the sandwich hot holding unit. Food employee discarded the chicken and added water and adjusted the temperature on the hot holding unit. TCS foods not being cold held at the proper temperature (critical, corrected). Observed the half-and-half in the store dispenser above 41 degrees. PIC discarded the half-and-half.

● Pizza Hut Restaurant - Delco, 665 Delaware Ave., Marion, Dec. 29. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical, corrected during inspection). Observed the mechanical dishwasher not dispensing enough chlorine sanitizer. PIC replaced the chlorine sanitizer and ran the dishwasher to confirm the concentration was within the approved levels. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical repeat, corrected). Observed the quat sanitizer in the sanitizer buckets below the approved concentration.

● Subway Sandwich, 1675 Marion Mount Gilead Road, Marion, Jan. 3. Inadequate air break between the sewage system and a drain originating from equipment in which food(ice) is stored (critical). Observed drain pipe from ice machine running through the wall around the corner to a floor drain and going below the rim of the drain with no proper air break.

● Jimmy John's, 1950 Marion-Mt. Gilead Road, Marion, Jan. 3. Employees are not informed in a verifiable manner of their responsibility to report information about their health (critical, corrected during inspection). Did not observe a signed employee illness policy. PIC was provided with a copy of the MPH illness policy for employees to sign. Equipment food-contact surfaces or utensils are unclean (critical, corrected).

Observed an oily residue in the cleaned sauce squeeze bottles. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical repeat, corrected). Observed quat sanitizer dispenser dispensing sanitizer below the approved concentration. PIC will have employees hand mix the sanitizer to the approved concentration until the dispenser has been repaired.

● Rt. 95 Duchess Shoppe #1216, 1881 Marion-Mt. Gilead Road, Marion, Jan. 3. Food not properly protected from contamination by separation, packaging and segregation (critical repeat, corrected during inspection). Observed packaged raw shell eggs and packaged raw bacon stored over packaged milk in the walk-in cooler.

TCS foods not being hot held at the proper temperature (critical, corrected). Observed chicken tenders below 135 degrees in the hot holding unit. PIC discarded the chicken tenders. Ready-to-eat, TCS food not properly discarded when required (critical, corrected). Observed hot dogs past their discard date in the kitchen prep cooler. PIC discarded the hot dogs.

● Starbucks Coffee #11283, 130 McMahan Blvd., Marion, Jan. 3. Unapproved chemical sanitizer used on food contact surfaces (critical repeat, corrected during inspection). Observed the quat sanitizer dispenser dispensing sanitizer below the approved concentration. PIC will have employees hand mix the sanitizer to the correct concentration until the dispenser has been repaired.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion County critical restaurant violations Dec. 26-Jan.3