News of public record: Guernsey County restaurant inspections

The following are restaurant inspections with critical violations, as conducted by the Guernsey County Health Department from Feb. 26 to March 1

Feb. 27

Downtown Arena, 1005 Wheeling Ave., Cambridge. Item stored in the handwashing sin. Raw eggs were stored above ready-to-eat items. A spray bottle of unknown chemicals is not labeled with the common name of contents.

House of Hunan, 2327 E. Wheeling Ave., Cambridge. PIC did not know proper cooling procedures. The person in charge (PIC) does not ensure that employees verify foods are approved and received properly when delivered during non-operating hours. PIC is unable to demonstrate knowledge by having no critical violations. PIC could not explain proper sanitizing procedures. Chemicals throughout were not labeled and some were made by mixing different products. Employees are not informed in a verifiable manner of their responsibility to report information about their health. PIC indicated employees don't use a handwashing sink to wash hands but instead use the 3-compartment sink. Food being delivered by truck was thawed and the food compartment was not cold. A box was open and the fish inside was thawed. PIC indicated the fish was not his. Boxes of eggrolls were cold, but not frozen. Frozen food must be received frozen and cold food must be received at 41 F or below and PIC is required to inspect food upon delivery to ensure food is safe. Ohio Department was contacted regarding the food company not maintaining temperatures during transport. Food was not protected from contamination throughout the facility: cooked breaded chicken was put into a used cardboard box that had raw chicken in it; food was uncovered in cooler; used blue bags and dirty rags to cover food in the prep unit; egg shells and shrimp shells that were being collected to be used as compost for gardening were on a pan above food; raw eggs stored above onions in cooler. Chlorine registered zero parts per million (ppm) in the dishwasher. Chlorine must be at least 50 ppm to effectively sanitize equipment. Food containers and equipment throughout the facility are filthy. Cooking equipment, rice cookers, and food storage containers have an accumulation of grease, food and dirt. Unsafe, adulterated, or not honestly presented food not discarded or properly reconditioned. Food that was contaminated was not discarded. Breaded chicken was being cooled at room temperature. When asked when the food was cooked, PIC indicated food was cooked in the morning. I advised PIC food must be cooled from 135 F to 70 F within two hours and then below 41 F within four hours. The PIC changed his answer to food was made at 2 p.m. He was unable to provide clear answers as to how food was being cooled. Food throughout was not date marked. Chemical spray bottles throughout the facility were not labeled. A bottle of unidentifiable chemical was observed in the facility. According to the PIC, his wife created a cleaner after watching a YouTube video using toothpaste and other products that are used for food containers. Cardboard boxes are being reused throughout the facility to store food: used raw chicken boxes were being reused to store cooked chicken; used cardboard box was used to store wonton strips and the box was saturated with grease and filthy; blue plastic bags are being reused to store or cover food, and the bags were dirty; dirty rags observed covering food in prep unit.

Feb. 29

House of Hunan, 2327 E. Wheeling Ave., Cambridge. Follow-up inspection. The PIC is not ensuring employees verify foods are approved and received properly when delivered during non-operating hours. PIC is unable to demonstrate knowledge by having no critical violations.

For further information on inspection reports or to view detailed reports visit https://www.guernseycountyhealthdepartment.org.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Public Records: Restaurant inspections from Guernsey County