Bar without a permit? Here are the latest Merced County health inspections
One Merced County business evaluated during the latest round of inspections by the county Division of Environmental Health received an “unsatisfactory” grade.
Of the latest businesses to be evaluated from July 9-15, six received a rating of “good” and two received a rating of “satisfactory.”
What the ratings mean
Businesses that accumulate zero to six violation points during an inspection receive a “good” rating. A rating of “satisfactory” is given to businesses that accumulate seven to 13 points. Businesses that accumulate 14 points or greater receive an “unsatisfactory” rating.
Violations recorded by inspectors can range in severity from minor to major. Major violations are “very likely to get people sick” and must be corrected immediately or the business, or parts of the business, must close until the issue is corrected, according to the Division of Environmental Health. If a business fails an inspection, a reinspection is required at a later date.
The Division of Environmental Health said a minor violation is one “likely to get people sick but does not require the location to close.”
Details from ‘Unsatisfactory’ reports
Here is a look at the “unsatisfactory” report from July 9-15:
Los Compas, 1513 W. Main St., Merced
Los Compas received an “unsatisfactory” rating (16 points) during an inspection July 13. Here are the violations as observed by the health inspector:
- Observed the use of a household-grade microwave in the kitchen. Remove microwave or replace with an ANSI sanitation certified one.
- Observed the use of a wood ice bin table. Replace with an ANSI sanitation rated ice table. Submit equipment with plans prior to reopening of bar.
- Observed lack of proof that a current employee of this establishment holds a food safety manager class certificate that is no more than five years old. Maintain a copy of the original certificate for at least one current employee at the facility location. The food manager certificate that is earned by the employee or owner may be used at only one location. Obtain a certificate from an American National Standards Institute approved food handling/food safety examination; if no one holds a current food safety certificate, obtain one within 60 days.
- Observed the lack of soap in the dispenser for the handwashing station. Provide soap for handwashing at all times. A soap bottle was provided.
- Observed the construction and operation of a bar without the required permits. Cease use of the bar until a permit is obtained.
- Observed the temperature of multiple foods in the sandwich prep refrigerator measuring at 60 degrees or above. All potentially hazardous foods greater than 50 degrees were voluntarily discarded. Do not use the refrigerator until repaired.
- Observed the space in front of the refrigerator was very hot from the cook line and the hood was not turned on. Keep hood on to remove heat and allow equipment to properly function.
Businesses that received ‘Good’ ratings
- King’s Asian Cuisine Sushi & Cocktail Lounge, 360 W Main St., Merced
- Oumi Sushi at Sprouts, 171 E. Yosemite Ave., Merced
- Papa Murphy’s, 220 Yosemite Ave., Merced
- Sprouts Farmers Market, 171 E. Yosemite Ave., Merced
- Dollar Tree, 2120 E Pacheco Blvd., Los Banos
- Los Banos Post Acute, 931 Idaho Ave., Los Banos
Businesses that received ‘Satisfactory’ ratings
- Rally’s, 1330 Pacheco Blvd., Los Banos
- Sushi Cuisine, 3544 G St., Merced
Next steps for Merced businesses
According to the Division of Environmental Health, some problems found by inspectors can be fixed at the time of the inspection. In other instances, violations an inspector deems more serious may result in the closure of the business at the time of the inspection.
The inspections represent a snapshot of the conditions that were observed by health inspectors at the time of their visit and may not indicate a pattern of either good or bad safety practices.
The Merced County Division of Environmental Health maintains a database of restaurant and food inspections, which can be found online at the Merced County Environmental Health website.
