Inspection reports show how Merced-area food businesses, schools fared
All 35 food businesses visited by Merced County health inspectors in the past week received “good” marks for cleanliness and food-safety compliance.
The inspections, which included 34 schools across the county, took place between May 20 and May 27.
The county gives “good” ratings to businesses with six or fewer violation points, “satisfactory” ratings for seven to 13 violation points, and “unsatisfactory” ratings for 14 or more violation points.
The schools that received perfect scores with no violations were:
▪ Cesar Chavez Middle School, Planada
▪ Le Grand Elementary school
▪ Le Grand Union High School
▪ Planada School Cafeteria
▪ El Capitan High School, Merced
▪ Elim Elementary School, Hilmar
▪ Harmony Ranch Elementary School, Delhi
▪ Hilmar Elementary School
▪ Hilmar High School
▪ Hilmar Middle School
▪ Charles Wright School Cafeteria, Merced
▪ Luther Burbank School, Merced
▪ Romero School, Santa Nella
▪ Stone Ridge Christian School, Merced
▪ Atwater Valley Community School
▪ Cressey School
▪ Delhi Educational Park - Phase 1
▪ McSwain Elementary School (West Campus), Merced
▪ Schendel Elementary School, Delhi
▪ Grasslands Elementary School, Los Banos
▪ Los Banos Junior High School
The inspections represent a snapshot of conditions found at the time of a visit and may not indicate a pattern of good or bad food safety practices.
In most instances, if an inspector finds a problem, it’s something that can be fixed on the spot. This can include having enough bleach or sanitizer in the water used to wipe down food-preparation areas, replenishing soap, paper towels and toilet paper in the restrooms, or reminding employees to wash their hands and wear gloves and hairnets.
But some violations are considered more serious and, in some instances, can result in immediate closure of restaurants or food businesses when they are observed by health inspectors. Those may include insect or vermin infestations; refrigerators that don’t keep food cold enough or steam tables that don’t keep food hot enough to inhibit bacterial growth, or clogged sinks or drains that cause contaminated water to back up into kitchens.
A lack of hot water is one of the most common violations that health inspectors find when they make their routine visits. Hot water at a temperature of at least 120 degrees is considered important by inspectors for safely washing pots, pans, dishes and glasses, and 100 degrees for employees to wash their hands.
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.
This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 3:26 PM.
