Fruit Flies, More Yellow Slime, Raw Beef On Prep Table: Inspection

ROCKVILLE, MD —Inspectors with the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Department recently cited three Rockville food establishments with critical violations.

Violations, both critical and non-critical, included failing to keep food at the proper temperatures, getting rid of yellow slime in an ice machine and the need to contact pest control to treat for suspected drain/fruit flies.

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.

Both of the restaurants that inspectors visited on Sept. 19 and Sept. 21 were cited for 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."

Giant Food #0125

During an Oct. 2 inspection, an HHS inspector found a critical violation at the Giant Food #0125 located at 120151 Rockville Pike. The violation concerned rotisserie chicken being held at temperatures less than 135F, which is the temperature that hot food needs to be kept at or above to keep the food from becoming hazardous.

The inspector found two other violations at the Giant Store that, while not critical, needed to be remedied:

• "1. Berry/produce refrigerated display observed with in ambient air temperature above 41F. (70F during defrost) 2. Ice accumulation observed on the fan of the Bakery walk in freezer and storage deli prep.
• "Coved base missing at some floor/wall junctures. — Eliminate 90 degree angles."

Smashburger

During an Oct. 2 inspection, an HHS inspector found one critical violation at the Smashburger located at 1800 Rockville Pike, Suite A, in Rockville. The restaurant failed to keep potentially hazardous food items below 41F, which the restaurant addressed.

The inspector also observed two non-critical violations that need to be addressed:

• Suspected drain/fruit flies observed in the ware washing area and by the back door — clean/treat.
• Refrigeration units observed with an ambient air temperature above 41F. — Adjust/repair.

Iron Age

On Oct. 2, an HHS inspector found one critical violation at the Iron Age restaurant located at 1054 Rockville Pike. The restaurant failed to separate and protect food from adulteration, spoilage, and contamination.

"Raw meat (beef) observed placed on a table that is very close to the prep refrigerator's ready-to-eat food area," according to the inspection report.

The inspector also noted the following non-critical violations at Iron Age that needed to be corrected within 30 days:

• "Yellow slime observed in the ice machine. Water observed dripping on the ice through the slime. NOTE: The ice must not be used. The manager turned the machine off and in process to discard the ice and clean the machine.
• "Spicy rice cake in the steam table observed below 135 degree F.
• "No Test strips observed to check the concentration of the sanitizer solution. Concentration observed within the regulated concentration NOTE: Provide chlorine test strips.
• "The ground of the grease dumpster area observed unclean. Clean.
• "A hole observed in the ceiling above the ice machine. NOTE: Seal."

The inspector also recommended that since the spicy rice cake was missing from the restaurant's Hazardous Critical Control Point, which concerns the temperatures that food needs to be stored at to keep it from becoming hazardous, the HAACP needed to be updated and submitted to the county for approval.

Related:

• Yellow Slime On Ice, Roaches On Cook Line Reported At Rockville Eatery
• Warm Salad, Mold Found At 2 Rockville Food Establishments: Inspection
• Raw Chicken, Cold Meatballs At Rockville Eateries: Critical Violations
• Dead Crab, Algae, Mold Reported At Rockville Food Service Facility
• Mold, Droppings Found At 2 Rockville Food Establishments: Violations