Wichita inspections: Slime on ice maker, no fire extinguisher, moldy pepper, bugs
A hotel, a gourmet butcher shop, a pizza joint, a diner and a Chinese restaurant all failed their Kansas Department of Agriculture food safety inspections last week. Their violations include letting dozens of flies buzz around food areas, a moldy bell pepper, black and pink slime on an ice machine and greasy build-up underneath equipment that can attract pests, a check of Sedgwick County’s non-compliant inspections from July 25-31 shows.
The hotel had a number of issues including a missing fire extinguisher, missing emergency lights and no filters on HVAC units in some rooms, according to an inspection report. Two businesses had no hot water. Several others were caught storing foods at temperatures ripe for bacteria growth.
A list of the five non-compliant businesses, compiled Aug. 2, appears below with a summary of the problems inspectors noted on their reports. More information, including specific violation descriptions and inspection dates, is posted in The Eagle’s searchable, non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspection database at www.kansas.com/databases.
More than 20 businesses surveyed last week passed their inspections with few or no violations. You can see those at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Failing an inspection doesn’t necessarily mean a business has to close; that’s rare. Most violations are minor and are immediately corrected on site. Businesses fall out of compliance with state rules when they have too many violations or certain types of problems that may increase the risk of a customer contracting a food-borne illness, or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, such as plumbing issues and pest infestations.
When a business fails, it’s usually inspected again within 10 days.
To complain about conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.
Recent out-of-compliance inspections:
Dragon City Chinese Restaurant, 3008 W. Central Ave in Wichita — Five violations for cooked chicken stored at unsafe temperatures, not sanitizing dishes, storing a bucket of breading or flour in a hand-washing sink basin, more than 30 live flies in building, dried food and grease buildup on or under equipment which can attract pests. Follow-up inspection set for Aug. 4.
Ourr’s Family Dining, 1606 S. Georgetown in Wichita — Seven violations for employee washing hands at the wrong sink, moldy bell pepper, food stored at unsafe temperatures including fried chicken and crab rangoon, produce at unsafe temperatures, cooked noodles and milk not marked with opening or preparation dates, dirty can opener, storing insecticide on site that’s rated for residential use only. Follow-up inspection set for Aug. 7.
Pizza Hut, 6505 E. 37th St. North Ste. 100 in Wichita — One violation for water not getting hot enough at a bathroom sink. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Aug. 8.
Sig’s Gourmet Butcher Shop, 300 S. Baltimore Ave. in Derby — Three violations for not marking deli salads with opening dates, curing and vacuum packing meat sticks and bacon without permission to do so, no soap at sink. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Aug. 7.
Wesley Inn, 3343 E. Central in Wichita — Eleven violations for “buildup of a black and pink slimy substance around the nozzle of the bulk ice machine,” broken GFCI switch, emergency lights in first-floor hallway don’t work, plumbing issue at mop sink, no filters on any of the HVAC units in rooms, no hot water anywhere in building, no record of carbon monoxide detector testing, no emergency management plan, no fire extinguisher in guest laundry room, no smoke detector in guest laundry room, no records that show smoke detector testing. Follow-up inspection set for Aug. 9.
This story was originally published August 3, 2021 at 4:37 AM.
