Failed food inspections: No hot water, missing sanitizer tests common Nov. 15-Dec. 19
Editor’s note: The Eagle is updating its out-of-compliance inspection database weekly this year. However, because the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed inspections, there may be no related story some weeks. You can search the database at www.kansas.com/databases.
No hot water and missing equipment that tests the strength of sanitizers businesses use to clean were common violations found at Sedgwick County restaurants and stores deemed out of compliance with state health rules over the past month.
In total, the Kansas Department of Agriculture found violations significant enough at 10 businesses to fail their inspections between Nov. 15 to Dec. 19. Failures don’t necessarily mean business closures. Most violations are corrected on site as an inspection happens. Inspectors typically schedule follow-up visits within 10 days to ensure safe food-handling practices are observed.
The list of the out-of-compliance establishments during that time period includes an adult entertainment club, two gas stations, two stores, four restaurants and a food truck. The list appears below with a summary of the problems inspectors noted on their reports. Most of the inspections were conducted remotely Nov. 15 through Dec. 19. You can read specifics by searching The Eagle’s non-compliant database at www.kansas.com/databases. This list was compiled Dec. 21.
More than 180 businesses surveyed over the past month passed their inspections with few or no violations. You can see those at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Violations are common and are usually fixed immediately. Businesses fall out of compliance when they have a certain number or type of problem that can lead to foodborne illnesses or ones that can’t be corrected right away, such as plumbing issues and pest infestations.
To complain about conditions at a business, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.
Out of compliance inspections since Nov. 15:
Baby Dolls, 4900 N. Arkansas in Wichita — One violation on Dec. 18 for not having a testing kit to measure the concentration of sanitizer used for washing dishes
Dollar General Store, 990 E. Ross Ave. in Clearwater — Inspector noted on a Dec. 16 report that the business replaced the hot water heater but staff couldn’t calibrate a thermometer to verify the accuracy of the water temperature
DQ Grill and Chill, 3830 N. Maize Rd. in Maize — Inspector noted that hand-washing sinks in the men’s restroom didn’t have hot water on Nov. 18
Hibachi Boy, 1220 Rock Rd. in Derby — Four violations on Dec. 16 for keeping hot sushi rice at cooler-than-normal temperature without a variance, storing food including noodles and cheese at unsafe temperatures, not having sanitizer testing strips available, not changing plastic wrap on bamboo sushi mats often enough
La Tapatia Market, 1953 S. Seneca in Wichita — One violation on Dec. 3 for not having a hand-washing sink in a building where the market cooks chicharrones and carnitas on weekends
Panda Express, 2006 N. Rock Rd. in Derby — Three violations on Dec. 7 for steak that wasn’t cooked to a hot-enough temperature, no hot water at hand-washing sink, oven cleaner stored over a open box of wiping cloths
Picasso’s Pizzeria, 621 W. Douglas in Wichita — Three violations on Dec. 18 for not marking jalapeno cream cheese and bean mix with the preparation date, not having sanitizer testing supplies on site, unlabeled chemical bottle
Super Express, 2849 W. 13th N. in Wichita — One violation on Nov. 24 for not having a sanitizer testing kit in the building and using only soap and water for cleaning
Thai Riffic Food Truck, 507 E. Twisted Oak Rd. in Derby — Five violations on Nov. 25 for not keeping food cold enough, not having a sanitizer testing kit on site, not having hot water in the truck, mislabeled chemical bottle. During a follow-up inspection on Dec. 9 the restaurant was cited for two violations: improper food storage and not having hot water
U.S. Gas, 2601 N. Hillside in Wichita — Received an out of compliance inspection on Nov. 18 which included notes about missing chlorine sanitizer testing strips, dumping dirty mop water in the toilet instead of using a mop sink and notifying the Department of Agriculture about imminent health hazards
This story was originally published December 23, 2020 at 3:16 PM.
