Falls Church Restaurant Inspections: September

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports are not quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy to see number rating to post in the front window.

With that said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"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 the Virginia Department of Health's 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."

In the past month, the following Falls Church restaurants have been inspected by the VDH. The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Bagel Deli Donuts, 1112 W. Broad St., City of Falls Church

Inspected Aug. 30: five critical violations, three non-critical violations

Observation / Corrective Action

• Corrected During Inspection Critical Repeat 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." EHS PROVIDED EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY TO CFM
  A complete employee health policy must have the following elements: 1) Employee training on food borne illness, particularly symptoms of illness and prevention of the Big Five illnesses (see "What is Food borne Illness" handout); and 2) Documentation that employees have been instructed of their responsibility to report symptoms of, diagnosis of or exposure to food borne illness to management (see "Employee Illness Reporting Agreement" handout); and 3) A management plan to restrict or exclude employees, as applicable, who have symptoms, diagnosis or exposure to food borne illness (see "Employee Illness Decision Guide for PIC/CFM" handout). The information provided at the time of this inspection will help you develop and implement this policy. Handouts are available in the following languages: English, Arabic, Chinese (traditional), Farsi, Hindi, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Urdu and Vietnamese. If you have any questions about your employee health policy, please contact your area inspector or contact the Health Department at 703-246-2444, TTY 703-591-6435.
• Corrected During Inspection Critical Repeat The following food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: American cheese slices 45F, tuna salad 46F, chicken salad 49F, deli turkey 49F in prep top; half&half in 1dr beverage air cooler under prep top
  Potentially hazardous foods (time/temperature control for safety food) shall be held cold at a temperature of 41°F or below unless the permit holder is using "time as public health control" as specified under 3-501.19 to limit bacteria growth.
• Corrected During Inspection Critical Repeat The following refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food that is commercially processed is not used or discarded within 24 hours of when the original container was opened and is not observed to be date marked: deli roast beef, deli ham, deli liverwurst
  Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous commercially processed foods when opened and kept for more than 24 hours cannot have a shelf-life of more than 7 days, including the day of the original container was opened. These food items must be marked with either the "consume-by" date and/or "preparation" date, color-coded labels, or another marking system/method that effectively indicates shelf-life that is clearly understood and properly used by the employees. This date cannot exceed any manufacturer determined "use-by" date based on food safety.
• Critical Repeat The diameter of the air gap between the water supply inlet and the flood level rim of the 3vat sink is less than 1 inch.
  An air gap between the water supply inlet and the flood level rim of the plumbing fixture, equipment, or nonfood equipment shall be at least twice the diameter of the water supply inlet and may not be less than one inch.
• Corrected During Inspection Repeat The hand washing facility located at the prep area is blocked, preventing access by employees for easy hand washing.
  A hand-washing sink shall be maintained so that it is accessible at all times for employee use.
• Repeat Observed that inadequate lighting was provided in the food preparation areas.
  Increase the lighting to provide a minimum of 50-foot candles in all food preparation areas.
• Corrected During Inspection Repeat Observed that poisonous and toxic materials are not properly stored to prevent the contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens or single service items.
  All poisonous and toxic materials shall be stored to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single service items by separating the poisonous and toxic materials by spacing or partitioning.
• Corrected During Inspection Critical Repeat The establishment has been closed and the permit to operate suspended due to the following imminent health hazard: sewage backup (drain in kitchen floor).
  Please notify me when the violations are corrected. A follow-up inspection shall be conducted to verify correction of violations and to reinstate the permit. You may not operate until the Health Department reinstates the permit to operate. To make arrangements for a follow-up inspection, please call 703-246-2444 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.