Bananas Stored In Wet Container With Sanitizer: Health Inspections

ARLINGTON, VA — Inspectors from the Arlington County Public Health Department reported a number of violations at food establishments on March 18, including one restaurant storing bananas in wet container in which liquid from a sanitizer was pooling.

In Virginia, all food service locations are supposed to be inspected at least once per year. Facilities with higher risk factors may be inspected as often as four times per year, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Violations at restaurants typically focus on factors that can contribute to food contamination. The local health department can also perform a re-inspection to ensure that possible violations have been corrected. Sometimes, the follow-up inspection only considers the most important "priority" violations.

For every observed violation, the inspector provides a specific corrective action that can be completed to rectify the violation. Sometimes these are simple, and violations can be corrected during the course of the inspection.Depending on the results of the inspection, the health department can pursue several actions.

They can issue a permit for the restaurant to continue serving food, they can schedule a follow-up inspection to determine if violations have been rectified, or they can temporarily shut down an establishment until certain issues are solved.

The Virginia Department of Health only recommends restaurants have their permits suspended when "the continued operation of the food service presents a substantial and imminent threat to the public health."

Here are the violations from March 18 as listed by Arlington County Public Health:

Sweet Leaf

650 N Quincy St Arlington, VA 22203
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• Employees are not familiar with the proper procedures to wash rinse and sanitize cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils. During inspection, observed situations where employees failed to wash contaminated dishes, did not allow dishes to dry to prevent contamination, and establishment did not have test strips to check sanitizer for the dishmachine. Corrective Actions: Ensure employees are properly sanitizing cleaned equipment and utensils before they are reused, through routine monitoring of solution temperature and exposure time for hot water sanitizing, and chemical concentration, pH, temperature, and exposure time for chemical sanitizing. Employees must understand how to properly wash dishes to remove all food residue, rinse detergents and any remaining food residue from the surface, before submerging equipment and utensils in the 3 compartment sink with QT-40 solution for at least 20 seconds or as directed by manufacturer. Afterwards dishes and utensils must be allowed to air dry before using to handle and store food utensils and equipment.
• Observed employees fail to wash hands after sweeping the floors, and before mixing smoothies. Corrective Actions: Instruct food employees to clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms immediately before engaging in food preparation including working with exposed food, clean equipment and utensils, and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles and during food preparation, as often as necessary to remove soil and contamination and to prevent cross contamination when changing task. Instructed employee to wash hands.
• Observed that bananas were stored in wet container with pooling sanitizer. Corrective Actions: Discard foods when adulterated by chemical or physical contaminants.
• Observed that the kitchen dish machine was in use, and no sanitizer was detected after the wash. Corrective Actions: Immediately discontinue the use of the machine until it is operating in accordance with minimum requirements. Initiate manual wash, rinse, and sanitize method to properly clean and sanitize equipment and utensils. Instructed the person in charge to wash rinse and sanitize dishes properly in the 3 compartment sink until dishmachine was repaired.
• Observed cooked corn, sweet potato and tofu cooling in large covered containers in the walk in cooler. Corrective Actions: Cool foods by the following methods: 1. Placing food in shallow pans 2. Separating food into smaller thinner portions 3. Using rapid chill cooling equipment 4. Stirring the food in a container placed in an ice water bath 5. Using containers that facilitate heat transfer 6. Adding ice as an ingredient 7. Any other method that can effectively accomplish cooling. PIC removed foods from the containers and placed them into shallow trays to finish cooling.
• Observed employee drop baking tray on floor, then pick up and place back in the bin with in use trays. Corrective Actions: Sanitized equipment and utensils must be handled and stored to prevent contamination. Equipment and utensils dropped on the floor must be washed rinsed and sanitized before storing with clean equipment. PIC removed all trays and washed rinsed and sanitized equipment.
• Observed employee pull container from 3 compartment sink and store bananas in the wet container without allowing them to air dry. Corrective Actions: After sanitizing, dishes must air dry before use.
• Establishment did not have test strips available to test chlorine sanitizer levels for the dishmachine. Corrective Actions: Establishment must provide test strips for all types of sanitizer used, so that proper sanitizing concentrations can be verified. Obtain chlorine test strips.
• Observed that the wall paneling is damaged and is warping away from the walls, and creating holes and gaps between the panels and walls. Observed that grouting is allowing food and water to accumulate in between floor tiles. Corrective Actions: Maintain physical facilities in good repair. Poor repair and maintenance compromises the functionality of the physical facilities.

VINCI School Arlington

3508 Langston Blvd Arlington, VA 22207
Status: Permitted

Child Care Food Service | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• A few mouse droppings observed on box unit in the kitchen; clean up with water and bleach. Corrective Actions: Eliminate harborage conditions. Insects and other pests are capable of transmitting disease to man by contaminating food and food-contact surfaces.
• The three part sink faucet handle was not in place; re-install. Corrective Actions: Plumbing systems and components shall be maintained in good repair.
• Opening in wall around plumbing pipe; seal-up to eliminate area for pests. Corrective Actions: Maintain physical facilities in good repair. Poor repair and maintenance compromises the functionality of the physical facilities.

Sweetgreen

4075 Wilson Blvd #C Arlington, VA 22203
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• Observed that the coating on the drying racks in the warewashing area are splitting and peeling from the metal. Corrective Actions: Non-food contact surfaces must be maintained to be smooth and easily cleanable.

Cinnabon #100416

1100 S Hayes St #0X06 Arlington, VA 22202
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• No hot water supply is available at hand sink next to 3 part sink. Corrective Actions: Maintain plumbing fixtures in proper repair.

Chick-fil-A at Crystal City

2200 Crystal Dr Suite G Arlington, VA 22202
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• Shared trash & recycling dumpsters in the loading dock aren't kept covered nor clean. Corrective Actions: Cover all waste containers when not in continuous use.

Kabob Garden

933 N Quincy St Arlington, VA 22203
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• Cardboard under microwave and on the dunnage rack; remove. Milkcrates used as shelving; don't use. Corrective Actions: Nonfood contact equipment that is exposed to splash, spillage, food soiling, or requires frequent cleaning must be smooth, durable, and nonabsorbent.

NVFS Arlington Child Development Center

2920 South Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22204
Status: Permitted

Child Care Food Service | Routine
March 18, 2024

No Observations or Corrective Actions

Flik Catering (UVA Darden)

1100 Wilson Blvd.- 30th Floor Arlington, VA 22209
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

No Observations or Corrective Actions

Good Fortune

3209 Columbia Pike Arlington, VA 22204
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• Downstairs hand sink observed missing paper towels. Corrective Actions: Hand drying devices such as individual disposable paper towels, a Continuous towel system that supplies the user with a clean towel or heated air hand drying device must be provided at all hand washing lavatories to encourage proper hand washing and avoid employees to drying their hands on their clothing or other unclean materials
• Rodent droppings observed downstairs under steps. Corrective Actions: The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled to minimize their presence on the premises by using methods such as trapping devices or other methods as required.
• Bulk food container observed not clean to sight & touch Corrective Actions: Clean the surface at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil residues that become encrusted or attract insects and rodents.
• Floor, walls, and ceiling observed in need of cleaning. Corrective Actions: Clean during periods when the least amount of food is exposed such as after closing.

Colada Shop Clarendon

1440 N Edgewood St Suite #160 Arlington, VA 22201
Status: Permitted

Fast Food | Routine
March 18, 2024

No Observations or Corrective Actions

Long Branch Elementary

33 N Fillmore St Arlington, VA 22201
Status: Permitted

Educational Facility Food Service | Routine
March 18, 2024

No Observations or Corrective Actions

Main Event Caterers

3870 S Four Mile Run Dr Arlington, VA 22206
Status: Permitted

Caterer | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• Hand sink in bakery area observed in need to be resealed to the wall. Corrective Actions: Maintain physical facilities in good repair. Poor repair and maintenance compromises the functionality of the physical facilities.
• Floor in display kitchen observed to need to be regrouted. Corrective Actions: Repair walking surfaces so they drain. If foot traffic is allowed to occur from undrained areas, contamination will be tracked into the establishment. Surfaces graded to drain minimize these conditions.

Me Jana

2300 Wilson Blvd #140 Arlington, VA 22201
Status: Permitted

Full Service Restaurant | Routine
March 18, 2024

Observations & Corrective Actions

• The following needs to be re-sealed to the adjoining walls: 1) the 3-compartment sink 2) the hand sinks.