Inspections of all retail food facilities are done yearly, and in some cases more than once per year. Unannounced inspections are conducted for restaurants, school cafeterias, hospital and nursing home cafeterias, grocery stores, convenience stores, fairgrounds, resorts, food trucks, festivals and any event or facility where food is sold to the public.
Melissa Mathews conducts about 145 retail food facility inspections every year for Montezuma and Dolores counties as the Health Department’s environmental health specialist.
The inspections are completed on-site and include compliance standards set by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. The categories are divided into critical and noncritical health standards specific to retail food facilities.
Critical areas are those that if not in compliance may cause foodborne illnesses. The categories include food sources, personnel, food temperature-control, sanitation, water systems and plumbing, hand-washing facilities, pest control and poisonous or toxic items.
Noncritical areas are important, but have less risk of causing foodborne illnesses. The categories include food labeling and protection, equipment design and construction, testing devices, cleaning of equipment utensils and linens, and physical facilities.
Under Colorado law, any retail food customer can ask an establishment for its latest inspection report, and the facility is required to provide it, Mathews said.
Ponderosa Restaurant and Lounge108 Eighth St., Dolores
Date: May 7, 1 hour
Critical Violations: 2
1. Food temperature-control category, rapidly cool foods
Inspector Comments: Potentially hazardous food products are not rapidly cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours and from 70 degrees to 41 degrees within an additional 4 hours. Observed beans cooked from the day before at 48 degrees in the walk-in. Problem was corrected on-site.
2. Food temperature-control category, rapidly cool foods
Inspector Comments: Potentially hazardous foods are being held improperly at temperatures greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit at all times during service. Observed deli meats (turkey, beef) at 54 degrees. Observed raw hamburger patties at 58 degrees. Observed chicken salad at 47 degrees. Foods on the salad bar are not being held properly. Bread pudding, 55 degrees; wedge tomatoes, 50 degrees; potato salad, 47 degrees; homemade cream dressings, 60 degrees. The deli meats and the raw hamburger patties are going to be cooked. Problem corrected on-site.
NonCritical violations: 1
1. Physical facilities category, plumbing
Inspector comments: The facility does not have a mop sink for the proper disposal of mop water. A mop sink is not available in the facility. It has been removed, and they are going to be replacing it.
Fenceline Cider141 Main St., Mancos
date: May 9, .4 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Jimmer’s Backcountry Bar-B-Q439 Main St., Cortez
date: May 9, 1.8 hours
Critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Cortez Veterans Inc.320 Harrison St., Cortez
Date: May 10, .4 hours
Critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Fiesta Mexican No. 3430 Colorado Highway 145, Cortez
Date: May 10, 1.7 hours
Critical Violations: 3
1. Personnel category, hands washed as needed
Inspector Comments: Employees observed not hand-washing when required. Employees coming to work and not washing hands before beginning tasks. Problem corrected on-site.
2. Personnel category, preventing food contamination
inspector comments: Employee observed using bare hands to contact ready-to-eat foods. Observed wait staff handling tortillas bare-handed to place on warmer. Problem corrected on-site.
3. Food temperature-control category, cold hold
inspector comments: Potentially hazardous foods are being held improperly at temperatures greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit all times during service. Observed raw foods (chicken, beef, talapia, shrimp) between 55 and 62 degrees in cold-hold drawers under the grill area. Foods were moved to another reach-in that is functioning correctly. All foods will be cooked. Problem corrected on-site.
noncritical violations: 0
Lakeside Lanes410 Lakeside Lane, Cortez
date: May 10, .8 hours
critical violations: 2
1. Temperature-control category, cold hold
inspector comments: Food product thermometers are not used by employees to determine food temperatures. No food thermometer available. Problem corrected on-site.
2. Temperature-control category, adequate equipment
inspector comments: Facility does not have sufficient equipment for cooling, heating, reheating or holding foods at proper temperatures. Facility has one refrigerated unit that is operating at 51 degrees Fahrenheit.
noncritical violations: 1
1. Testing devices category, thermometer
inspector comments: Thermometers for cold-holding equipment are not conspicuously located in the upper third of the refrigeration unit or are not provided. No thermometer available in the refrigerator to monitor temperature.
Fiesta Theater23 Main St., Cortez
date: May 10, .5 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Destination Grill2121 E. Main St., Cortez
date: May 16, 2 hours
critical violations: 2
1. Personnel category, hands washed as needed
inspector comments: Employees fail to wash hands as required with warm running water, soap and vigorous scrubbing for 15 seconds, cleaning under the nails, followed by drying with disposable towels or air drier.
2. Personnel category, preventing food contamination
inspector comments: Employee observed using bare hands to contact ready-to-eat foods. Observed using bare hands on cooked French fries, lettuce and buns. Problem corrected on-site.
noncritical violations: 0
Tequila’s1740 Main St., Cortez
date: May 16, 1 hour
Critical Violations: 4
1. Food source category, cross-contamination
inspector comments: Food is not protected from cross-contamination during storage, preparation, holding, display or transport. Observed handling of raw meats and then handling utensils and ready-to-eat foods (cooked burritos). Equipment and food-contact surfaces are not cleaned and sanitized between changing processes from raw to ready-to-eat foods or from different species. Observed raw fish cut on cutting board, and the knife was then used to cut ready-to-eat foods. Problem corrected on-site.
2. Personnel category, hands washed as needed
inspector comments: Employees observed not hand-washing when required (e.g., between glove changes, between tasks, after caring for animals, after sneezing, etc.). Not washing after handling raw chicken, beef, pork and fish. Problem corrected on-site.
3. Personnel category, hygienic practices
inspector comments: Food employee observed wiping hands on soiled apron, clothes or common towel. Problem corrected on-site.
4. Personnel category, preventing food contamination
Inspector comments: Employee observed using bare hands on ready-to-eat foods. Observed bare-hand contact on tortillas and cooked burritos. Corrected on-site.
noncritical violations: 0
Mancos Chavolo’s121 Railroad Ave., Mancos
date: May 17, 1.6 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Deer Hill, Inc. (Child Care permit) 7850 County Road 41, Mancos
Date: May 21, 1 hour
Critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Deer Hill, Inc. (Restaurant permit)7850 County Road 41
Date: May 21, 1.6 hours
Critical Violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Antique Corral6817 U.S. 160, Cortez
date: May 18
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Safeway1580 Main St., Cortez
date: May 18, 2.2 hours
Critical violations: 1
1. Food temperature-control category, cold hold
inspector comments: Potentially hazardous foods are being held improperly at temperatures greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit at all times during service. Observed whole cooked/cooled chickens in the grab-and-go refrigerated case at temperatures ranging from 47 degrees to 50 degrees. Products have been in cooler for more than 4 hours. Problem corrected on-site.
noncritical violations: 0
Mountaintop Fuel and Market225 Glasgow St., Rico
date: May 29, .5 hours
critical violations: 1
1. Food temperature-control, hot hold
inspector comments: Potentially hazardous food products are not being properly hot-held at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above at all times during service. Observed breakfast sandwiches at 102 degrees. Sandwiches will be thrown away at end of service. Educated facility on the time as a public health control. Problem corrected on-site.
noncritical violations: 0
Dunton Hot Springs, Inc. 52068 Road 38, Dolores County
date: May 31, 1.8 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Dunton River Camp50014 Road 38, Dolores County
date: May 31, .5 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
The River Bar and Grill1319 Railroad Ave., Dolores
Date: May 30, 1.3 hours
critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Inspection reports provided monthly by the Montezuma County Health Department.