Politics & Government
Local Supermarkets Clean Up After Failed Health Inspections [MAP]
Patch has pulled together information on grocery store inspections across New York state to create an exclusive, interactive map.
Of the four Bedford and Katonah grocery stores that failed state health inspections in 2012 for issues stemming from dirt, vermin and employee food handling, each one passed when inspectors returned, a recent analysis of state records shows.
Combing through materials pulled from the state's Department of Agriculture and Markets, Patch has delved into reports on the region’s primary retail food stores to create an exclusive, interactive map of which local grocers are hygienic—and which tip the scales in the other direction.
While restaurants in Bedford, Katonah and the surrounding municipalities are inspected by the Westchester County Department of Health, local grocers fall under the auspices of New York State's Department of Agriculture and Markets.
RELATED: 5 Things You Should Know About Grocery Inspections
Patch culled data from 38 businesses in Bedford-Katonah, looking at sprawling stores like the A&P in Katonah and the ShopRite in Bedford Hills, and smaller grocers like Table Local Market on Babbitt Road. Our findings are based on inspections over the past few years, with many as recent as late 2012.
Sanitary complications are either listed as "general deficiencies," which inspectors say did not present an immediate heath risk, or "critical deficiencies" that pose a viable hazard to customers. One critical violation and the market fails inspection.
In some cases, the state seizes food that is deemed "unfit" or "unsafe" to shoppers.
A closer look at Bedford-Katonah
A total of four stores out of the 38 examined failed health inspections in 2012. On the whole, larger businesses—like ShopRite—tend to see more deficiencies than stores that operate with fewer products and in smaller spaces.
The A&P at 132 Bedford Rd. in Katonah failed two health inspections last year, when workers discovered a spate of issues, two of them deemed “critical.”
On June 7 2012, state inspectors found a food grinder that was “improperly cleaned.”
“Dark and hardened food residue [was] on [the] food contact surface,” reports note. The grinder was cleaned and sanitized during the inspection.
The second critical deficiency occurred two months earlier, on April 9, when state employees found between 20 and 50 fresh mouse droppings on shelves stocked with pet food.
Officials at the Katonah A&P were unable to comment on the two failed inspections, and directed Patch to the business’ corporate offices in Montvale, NJ. Officials there did not respond to calls for comment.
During A&P’s most recent inspection, later in the summer of 2012, there were only two general deficiencies and no critical deficiencies.
The three other stores that failed inspections in 2012 were:
- Mike Sushi, inside the D’Agostino’s Supermarket at the Cross River Plaza shopping center, which was found to be using raw salmon not approved for use in sushi during two separate inspections in January 2012. The inspector’s report also noted the sushi chef didn’t know how to measure the acidity of the sushi rice during the visits. The sushi stand later passed a May 10, 2012 inspection.
- Vista Market, at 469 Smith Ridge Rd in Vista, New York, which failed an inspection on July 24, 2012. Inspectors noted “20-50 fresh appearing rat droppings are present in the rear area storage and water tank areas.” The market passed a follow-up inspection October 15, 2012.
- Katonah Farms, at 93 Katonah Ave. in Katonah, which failed an inspection on August 20, 2012, when inspectors found “5-10 live flies” present in the deli and basement. The inspection also found lukewarm beef and chicken in a hot holding unit. The store passed a follow-up inspection October 22, 2012.
Some local markets, in contrast, have long histories of cleanliness.
The Bedford Hills ShopRite, located at 747 Bedford Rd., failed no health inspections last year—but did rack up 13 general deficiencies during a 2011 inspection, when state workers uncovered dusty fans in the meat prep room and “weak” sanitizer in the produce section.
Katonah Pasta had no deficiencies during a 2012 inspection, and the Pound Ridge gourmet cheese shop Plum Plums had only one general deficiency during a January 2013 inspection.
How does Bedford-Katonah compare to the rest of Westchester?
One of the busiest supermarkets in the region, the White Plains Whole Foods, failed three health inspections in 2012, all within a six-month span. The flunking marks stemmed from beat-up cutting boards speckled with foodstuffs, and dirty chicken and sausage grinders.
Michael Sinatra, a spokesman for Whole Foods markets in the Northeast, said the White Plains store’s commitment to local food contributed to the failures. "What we're doing is grinding all the meat in-house," he said. "It's not being done off-site in a factory. So perhaps when it was checked, something was ground that morning."
Whole Foods passed its most recent inspection in November of 2012, and has totaled eight failures since 2005.
Who's Behind the Inspections?
According to the state, there were 110 inspectors on the state’s payroll in 2012 responsible for about 31,000 retail food stores and around 6,200 food warehouses, wineries and other processors.
Delis are included in the department’s inspections if 50 percent or less of their business is selling ready-to-eat food.
"They are our eyes and ears behind the scenes," said Robert Gravani, a professor at Cornell University who trains state inspectors.
Inspectors show up unannounced, and can spend as little as hour or more than a day inspecting a store, said Stephen Stich, Director of Food Safety and Inspection at the department.
The Inspection System
In 29 percent of the 30,372 retail food store inspections conducted statewide in 2012, the inspector found one or more problems that could make customers sick, Patch’s analysis of public records shows.
If an inspector finds a serious hazard to food safety, the store fails the inspection. Our analysis found more than 5,300 stores across the state failed an inspection last year, and more than 1,100 stores failed more than once. The department can fine the store up to $600 for the first critical deficiency, and double that amount for any more critical problems.
The department does more than just hand out fines. Sometimes, inspectors supervise supermarket employees as they correct violations on the spot, such as sanitizing dirty deli slicers, Stich said. Inspectors also hold in-store trainings to educate employees on the importance of food safety.
"These companies want to do things right," Gravani said. "Sometimes they fall down. That’s why you have a regulatory system."
Shoppers should call state inspectors with complaints about their local supermarket, such as spoiled food, Stich said.
You can reach the regional office responsible for Westchester county at 845-220-2047.
But if you think food from the supermarket made you sick, contact your local health department, Stich said.
You can reach the Westchester County Health Department at (914) 813-5000.
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This story was written and reported by Kevin Zawacki and Martin Burch.
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