These Merced County food places failed November inspections. Here’s what inspectors found
Almost one out of 10 restaurants, commissaries, grocery stores or other food businesses inspected by health officials in Merced County received poor scores from their inspection visits because of various food-safety violations in November.
Inspectors from the Environmental Health Division of the county’s Community & Economic Development Department visted 54 food businesses in November. Of those, five piled up enough safety violations to earn “unsatisfactory” ratings, racking up 14 or more violation points during inspectors’ visits.
The largest number of violations were reported at Alibertos Jr. Mexican Food at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 33 in Santa Nella, in western Merced County. There, 10 violations from a Nov. 9 inspection visit amounted to a total of 20 violation points. According to inspection data, the most significant violation involved failure to keep cold foods at or below 41 degrees for food safety purposes. An inspector saw that salsa in the salsa bar was above 49 degrees, higher than allowed.
Other violations at the restaurant included storing boxes of food on the floor when they should be at least six inches off the floor; unlabeled prepackaged fruit cups and cakes; leaking plumbing; uncovered food stored in the walk-in refrigerator; improper thawing of frozen chickens on top of a sink; using a styrofoam cup as a grease trap; and no paper towels in the women’s restroom.
Other establishments earning unsatisfactory ratings in November inspections were:
- Five Ten Bistro / After 5 on West Main Street at Canal Street in Merced, 14 violation points from a Nov. 14 inspection, including a prep refrigerator that did not meet the minimum temperature requirements of 41 degrees or below, and a lack of hot water in the women’s restroom.
- Shannon Mini Mart on Highway 59 between Cone and Gerard avenues in south Merced, 16 violation points from a Nov. 15 inspection, including a repeat violation for lack of proof that any employee holds a food safety manager certificate; and improper thawing of frozen chickens in the center compartment of a three-compartment sink and reaching unsafe temperatures between 56 and 65 degrees.
- Black Bear Diner in the San Luis Plaza shopping center on West Pacheco Boulevard (Highway 152) near Ortigalita Road at the western end of Los Banos, 17 violation points from a Nov. 15 inspection, including a lack of hot water; improper drainage for a floor sink and a walk-in refrigerator; improper storage of uncovered food; and accumulations of rust and other problems with walk-in refrigerators.
- Delhi Gas & Liquor on Stephens Street at Acacia Street, west of Highway 99 in Delhi, 15 violation points from a Nov. 27 inspection including an accumulation of red residue on the ice nozzle of the soft drink machine and an accumulation of coffee syrup on the cappuccino machine; and repeat violations for not having a functioning paper towel dispenser and no soap in the soap dispenser at a kitchen sink.
Another 34 businesses received “good” scores awarded for having six or fewer violation points, while 15 earned “satisfactory” scores with between seven and 13 violation points.
Merced County’s Environmental Health Division maintains a database of restaurant and food inspections online for public viewing at its web page, www.countyofmerced.com/597/Environmental-Health; click the “Food Inspections” tab along the left side of the page.
