21 Health Violations Reported At Herndon Eatery

HERNDON, VA -- Fairfax County health inspectors have written up Elden Market & Deli for 21 health violations during a Jan. 25 inspection.

Elden Market & Deli, located at 1141 Elden Street, was cited for everything from an employee failing to wash their hands before preparing food to not having proper health documentation in place.

Inspectors also noted that food was being handled and stored improperly, including tripe left to thaw in a dish sink basin and tamales that were left in a stock pot overnight.

In 11 inspections since 2013, the eatery has often been cited for numerous health violations, including last January when 12 violations were reported.

Five of the violations in the most recent inspection were repeat violations, the county said.

The full list of violations as stated by Fairfax County inspectors are listed below:

Critical violation: Observation (REPEAT) (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): Upon discussion with the person-in-charge, one or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment. At the time of this inspection, the Health Department provided and reviewed handouts and resource information in a red folder labeled "Employee Health Policy."

Critical violation: Observation (REPEAT): A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before engaging in food preparation, after rinsing dishes and conducting other prep that could contaminate the hands.

Critical violation: Observation (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): The following cooked potentially hazardous foods are not being adequately cooled from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and to 41°F within a total of 6 hour: tamales cooling for 8 hours in the stock pot left out overnight observed at 110°F.

Critical violation: Observation (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): The following food item(s) were found hot holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: refried beans (120F) at stove top

Critical violation: Observation (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): The following food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: shredded cheese (47F) in #2 cooler; oil and grilled onion (65F) on counter; steak (45F) in #3 cooler.

Critical violation: Observation (REPEAT): The following ready-to-eat food that is made using a combination of ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous ingredients is not properly dated for discard using the date of the first-prepared ingredient: beef bone in walk in cooler.

Critical violation: Observation: At the time of the inspection, it was observed that a change of ownership has taken place at the food establishment. The current operator does not have a valid permit to operate.

Critical violation: Observation (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): There is no Certified Food Manager present at the beginning of the inspection.

Critical violation: Observation: Restricted use pesticides do not meet the requirements in 40 CFR 152 Subpart 1 Classification of Pesticides.

Non-critical violation: Observation: Employees are not properly sanitizing cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils.

Non-critical violation: Observation (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: hanging tongs on oven handle

Non-critical violation: Observation: Heavily soiled wiping cloths in use.

Non-critical violation: Observation (REPEAT) (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): Observed the following food thawing using an improper method: tripe in still water in 3vat dish sink basin.

Non-critical violation: Observation: The following methods used for cooling were not adequate to facilitate proper cooling: holding tamales in large stock pot to cool at room temperature overnight.

Non-critical violation: Observation (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): The certified food manager could not provide a food temperature measuring device.

Non-critical violation: Observation: The following refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41°F: TrueCold 1 door countertop beverage display cooler

Non-critical violation: Observation: The operator is not testing the chemical sanitizing solution to ensure proper concentration of the solution.

Non-critical violation: Observation: Unwrapped knives, forks, or spoons were not stored at the front counter with the handles up.

Non-critical violation: Observation (REPEAT): The handwashing facility located at the food prep area is blocked by a trashcan and a bag in the sink basin; and the handwashing facility located at the 3 vat sink is blocked by items in the sink basin is not set up for handwashing, preventing access by employees for easy handwashing.

Non-critical violation: Observation: Lockers or other suitable facilities are not provided for employees clothing and other possessions.

Non-critical violation: Observation (CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION): Observed an accumulation of litter on the premises. Facility had a countertop bin of waste produce.

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