Restaurant Inspections: McDonald's, Warren Cafe, California Tortilla

Inspectors from the Virginia Department of Health visited several restaurants in or near Tyson's Corner this week. See a sampling of those results below, and visit the health department's website for a complete list of recent inspections.

McDonald's #5039, 544 Maple Ave. W.
Date of inspection: September 10
The concentration of the chlorine sanitizing solution was measured at 50-100 ppm. This concentration exceeds the approved limits for use with food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils in a foodservice establishment.
 
Warren Cafe, 8000 Westpark Drive
Date of inspection: September 6
A food employee was observed handling the following ready-to-eat food using their bare hands: deli meat to slice.
 
California Tortilla, 2930 Chain Bridge Road            
Date of inspection: September 10
The following food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: salsa/cut tomatoes/coleslaw; salsa. tomato on salad.

About these inspections: 

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to department of health website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long term cleanliness of an establishment."

Full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.
A core item "usually relates to general sanitation, operational controls, sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs), facilities or structures, equipment design, or general maintenance."

A priority item is "a provision in this Code whose application contributes directly to the elimination, prevention or reduction to an acceptable level, hazards associated with foodborne illness or injury and there is no other provision that more directly controls the hazard," and "includes items with a quantifiable measure to show control of hazards such as cooking, reheating, cooling, handwashing."

A priority foundation item "includes an item that requires the purposeful incorporation of specific actions, equipment or procedures by industry management to attain control of risk factors that contribute to food borne illness or injury such as personnel training, infrastructure or necessary equipment, HACCP plans, documentation or record keeping, and labeling."