Dead mouse, cockroaches and ‘droppings:’ See latest Sacramento County restaurant inspections

Sacramento County health inspectors recently closed the cafeteria of a local elementary school after discovering droppings and a “gnaw mark.”

Meanwhile, five area establishments received yellow placards — including a convenience store and a supermarket.

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday this last week, inspections were not conducted Thursday through Sunday.

A yellow placard signals two or more major violations, according to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide. These are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection.

A red placard signals “imminent danger to public health and safety” and suspends the health permit until violations are corrected. This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination.

Green means a restaurant passed the inspection.

The county conducts roughly 14,000 inspections a year, and 97% of all restaurants pass their inspections, Ken Casparis, a spokesman, previously told The Bee. About 1% of inspections result in a closure.

No restaurants were shutdown last week.

Here are the food facility inspections for Nov. 23 through Nov. 29, as of noon Thursday:

If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email Jacqueline Pinedo at jpinedo@sacbee.com. The Bee will publish weekly updates on health inspections across Sacramento County.

Sacramento County school cafeteria closed after health inspection

Elverta Elementary School, 7900 Eloise Ave in Elverta, had five violations on Nov. 29, including vermin contamination.

There were more than 20 “rice-size droppings” on a bottom dry storage shelf, according to the Wednesday report.

In addition, a “gnaw mark” was found on a “dry pasta bag,” the report said. The pasta bag was discarded at the end of the inspection.

An additional “six small rice droppings” were found “next to cans” on the back of a storage area, according to the report.

Although the report didn’t mention what kind of droppings were discovered, a manager told inspectors that one mouse was caught using sticky pad traps after Thanksgiving break.

The school cafeteria was reopened Thursday at 7:30 a.m. during re-inspection, said Melinda Lippincott, an Elverita Elementary School worker.

“It was just a small problem,” Lippincott said.

Sacramento County restaurants get yellow placard violations

The following Sacramento County restaurants had violations the week of Nov. 23 through Nov. 29 resulting in a conditional pass.

Only the dates of violations are listed. Most restaurants fully pass reinspection within 72 hours. The reports are linked. For updates on individual restaurants, you can search the EMD website here.

7 Eleven, 5500 Florin Perkins Road in Sacramento, had eight violations on Nov. 28. One dead mouse was found in a mouse trap under a dry storage rack, and Turkestan cockroaches were discovered under storage racks in the back facility, according to the Tuesday report. There was “no further indication of active rodent activity,” the report said.

In addition, boneless buffalo wings and spicy hot links were not being kept at the correct temperatures, according to the report. Both food items were re-heated to proper temperatures at the time of inspection.

Pita R Us, 2690 Bidwell St. in Folsom, had eight violations on Nov. 28. “Utensils are not being sanitized,” a chicken was not being stored in the refrigerator at the proper temperature and there was water accumulation in the refrigerator grill, according to the Tuesday report. Health inspectors requested that the fridge be repaired within 48 hours.

Thai Mango, 7837 Stockton Blvd. in Sacramento, had 11 violations on Nov. 29. Raw beef and chicken were being stored above wontons in a walk-in freezer, and bean sprouts were not stored at the correct temperature, according to the Wednesday report.

Tables adjacent to the cook’s line had areas with accumulated “old food, grease, residue,” the report said. Additionally, the men’s restroom had no paper towels at the time of the inspection and the doors to the men’s and women’s restrooms were not self latching.

Journey to the Dumpling, 1700 21st St. in Sacramento, had 12 violations on Nov. 29. “Employee water bottles were observed on a dumpling prep table, next to dumplings, and on dry storage shelves next to food,” an inspector wrote in a Wednesday report, and a hand sink located next to a kitchen door was blocked by a table and cardboard boxes.

The inspectors found a number of foods being stored at improper temperatures, including an egg tart and fried pork. A large pot of broth on the floor had been cooked the night before the inspection, the operator told inspectors.

La Popular Supermarket, 9180 Kiefer Blvd. in Sacramento, had 16 violations on Nov. 29. “A bag of raw chicken was stored above cilantro, cake and horchata” in a refrigerator,” an inspector wrote in a Wednesday report, while boxes of raw meat were found on the floor of a walk-in freezer and a box with prepackaged dry spices and an onion bag were on the floor in the retail area.

Personal items such as eye glasses and a purse were found on an “prep counter adjacent to a heated food display case,” according to the report. The inspector also said a “minor leak was observed” underneath the kitchen warewash sink.

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