Mice Plaguing Strip District Food Establishment

PITTSBURGH, PA - Citing thousands of rodent droppings “too numerous to count,” the Allegheny County Health Department issued a consumer alert for the Pittsburgh Popcorn Company in the Strip District.

Inspectors who visited the store at 209 21st Street Thursday found a dead mouse behind a display unit and a live mouse in a storage area.

Dropping also were found inside the popcorn popping machine, on top of popcorn seasoning mixers, on prep tables, on lids of bulk popcorn containers, in containers used to store large bags of popcorn and on shelving below prep tables where bulk ingredients are stored.

Inspectors also found droppings and nesting material in a basement storage area and inside bulk boxes of bagged popcorn and seasoning packets.

The health department ordered all areas of the establishment to be washed, rinsed and sanitized and any packaging that has been exposed to rodents and droppings to be discarded.

The Popcorn Company inspection was the third this week by the health department that turned up evidence of mice infestation. Health inspectors also found rodent problems at the Dollar Tree in East Liberty and TGI Friday’s at The Waterfront.