Critical Violations Reported At 3 Rockville Food Establishments

ROCKVILLE, MD — Officials from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services inspects food preparation and storage businesses.

All Montgomery County licensed retail food establishments are inspected by the Licensure & Regulatory Services Program. Regular comprehensive inspections include evaluating an establishment's sanitation, maintenance and food service operations. These inspections include monitoring critical temperatures and food handling procedures.

From Aug. 20 to Aug. 27, inspectors identified three Rockville businesses with critical violations of food safety requirements.

"A Critical Violation means a food safety requirement that requires immediate correction," according to the health and human services website. "Failure for immediate correction results in cessation of some or all food operations or closure of the facility until violation is able to be corrected."

The following Rockville licensed retail food establishments had critical violations that needed immediate correction, according to the Montgomery County Department Health and Human Services:

Moby Dick

During an inspection on Aug. 24, Moby Dick House of Kabob at 14929-A Shady Grove Road in Rockville was found to be out of compliance in several areas. The inspection was a two-week followup to monitor persistent violations at the restaurant noted during an Aug. 7 inspection.

Moby Dick had a previous reinspection on May 24, following a comprehensive inspection on April 24. That inspection was done in response to a complaint.

On Aug. 24, the inspector observed an employee handling money and change with their bare hands. The employee then went to handle pita bread without washing their hands. The inspector informed the employee that they must wash their hands after handling money before they can help prepare food.

"Prepackaged yogurt sauce observed to not be adequately labeled," the report said, noting this as a repeat violation. "These yogurt sauce containers are not given to customers in bulk, and are not available to customers via self-dispensing. Manager states these come from corporate."

Other repeat violations reported included:

• Food in cardboard boxes were being stored on the floor of the walk-in fridge.
• Single-use items were being stored uncovered in the rear kitchen and storage areas.
• The walk-in fridge did not have adequate lighting.
• A light under the main-kitchen vent was out and needed to be replaced.

All of the violations will be monitored during the next routine inspection.

Potbelly #013

During an Aug. 22 inspection of the Potbelly #013 at 199 Montgomery Ave., Suite K, in Rockville, the county health inspector noted the following observations:

• After coming from the outside, an employee failed to wash their hands before attempting to prepare cookies.
• A couple of items on the sandwich prep table were not being kept at the required cold holding temperature.
• An ice cream dipper well surface needed to be cleaned;
• Clean containers were being stored without any solution in the sanitize chamber of the three- compartment sink.
• The faucet of the three-compartment sink was leaking.
• The vent of the ice cream freezer needed to be cleaned in order to remove dust.

In addition, the floor of the walk-in freezer was damaged, which was a "repeated violation," according to the report.

The Potbelly also needed to submit a Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Point plan to the approving authority to ensure that is was in compliance with all applicable regulations.

Fresh Market

During an Aug. 24 inspection, the Fresh Market at 1649 Rockville Pike in Rockville was cited for several violations, some of which were immediately corrected.

The inspector noted that the right-side glass cooler in the deli section, where ham and beef panini were stored, was above 41 degrees F. Likewise, the panini cooler was not being kept at 41 degrees F., and the reach-in coolers in the deli-section did not have a thermometer as required, according to the report.

The entrance to the walk-in cooler in the seafood section of the Fresh Market needed to be cleaned and an HACCP plan needed to be submitted for approval.