Colorado has implemented new restaurant inspection regulations that took effect Jan. 1.
The Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations are based on a national standard for retail food sales, said Melissa Mathews, environmental specialist with the Montezuma County Health Department. She conducts inspections.
There are several changes.
First, every entity serving food to the public must have at least one staff person be a certified food protection manager. Every shift does not have to have the certified person working, however.
“The training requirement for the one staff member is intended to help educate the rest of the staff,” Mathews said.
Courses are typically two days with a test. Opportunities to take the class are available locally by calling 970-565-3056.
Other changes are that restaurants and food facilities can now use, sturdy, noncommercial-grade equipment, have any size of hand-washing sink, and prepare food in the three-sink area previously restricted to washing dishes. Marking the date on stored foods and temperature control is also a new requirement.
A new revision allows the use of customer containers to place to-go food, but after the container is washed properly by the facility. Also, hand-washing between glove changes while doing the same task is no longer required. Hand-washing between glove changes when a different task is begun is still required.
Food facilities must also have procedures for cleaning up after vomiting and diarrheal events.
There are no longer “critical” and “noncritical” violation categories. The new violation categories are “Priority,” “Priority Foundation” and “Core.”
Mathews said “Priority” and “Priority Foundation” are critical violations that might cause foodborne illnesses. “Core” violations are noncritical and are important, but they have less risk of causing foodborne illnesses.
“The rules are science-based and easier to understand. They are not unreasonable,” Mathews said. “Studies have shown that when there is a certified food protection manager at staff, foodborne illnesses go down.”
She said inspections are taking longer because of the need to educate staff at facilities. They are encouraged to keep a hard copy handy or have it bookmarked on their computer desktop.
The Journal publishes local restaurant inspection reports provided monthly by the Montezuma County Health Department.
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, hospital and nursing home cafeterias, grocery stores, convenience stores, fairgrounds, resorts, food trucks and any event or facility where food is sold to the public.
Mathews conducts about 145 retail food facility inspections every year for Montezuma and Dolores counties as the Health Department’s environmental health specialist.
Dolores County Senior Services8540 Road 7.2, Dove Creek
date: July 18
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Echo Basin43747 Road M, Mancos
date: July 27
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Gustavo’s125 E. Main St., Cortez
date: July 24
priority violations: 2
1. Proper cooling time and temperature category.
inspector comments: Observed cooked/cooling beans in ice baths at 126 degrees Fahrenheit. Timed product for one hour and the temperature of the beans dropped to 108 degrees. Product is required to cool 32 degrees an hour. Began stirring and adding additional ice to speed cooling process. Problem corrected during inspection.
2. Proper cold holding temperatures category.
inspector comments: Observed cooked/cooled ground beef and cooked/cooled carnitas at 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Products were date marked with 7/18 and 7/20. Products are being moved to a different reach-in. Problem was corrected during inspection.
priority Foundation violations: 1
1. Person in charge present, demonstrates knowledge, and performs duties category.
inspector comments: The person in charge shall demonstrate knowledge by having no violations of priority items during the current inspection. Problem corrected during inspection.
core violations: 1
1. Certified food production manager category.
inspector comments: Facility does not have a certified manager.
Zuma Natural Foods299 N. Main St., Mancos
date: July 23
priority violations: 2
1. Hands cleaned and properly washed category.
inspector comments: Employee observed using cell phone and not washing hands before touching clean equipment. Employee leaving work area and not washing when returning back to work. Problem was corrected during inspection.
2. No barehanded contact with ready-to-eat food or a pre-approved alternative properly allowed category.
inspector comments: Observed barehanded contact of an employee while making a sandwich and also touching a panino coming off the grill.
priority foundation: 1
1. Person in charge, present demonstrates knowledge and performs duties category.
inspector comments: Facility is not complying with this code by having no violations of priority items. Problem was corrected during inspection.
core violations: 0
P and D Grocery & Mancos Pizza230 E. Frontage Road, Unit 5, Mancos
date: July 23
priority violations: 0
priority Foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Stateline Bar and Grill69576 U.S. 491, Dove Creek
date: July 18
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant332 W. Main St., Cortez
date: July 17
priority violations: 1
1. Hands cleaned and properly washed category.
inspector comments: Employees coming from outside not washing hands before putting glove. Problem corrected during inspection.
priority foundation violations: 2
1. Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events category.
inspector comments: No procedure in place. Problem corrected during inspection.
2. Proper date marking and disposition category.
inspector comments: Not dating deep fried items (chicken, shrimp). Problem corrected during inspection.
core violations: 1
1. Certified Food Protection Manager category.
inspector comments: Facility does not have a certified person on staff.
Circle K Ranch27758 Colorado Highway 145, Dolores
date: July 16
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Enterprise Bar and Grill3 N. Glasgow Ave., Rico
date: July 11
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 1
1. Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events category.
inspector comments: Facility does not have a policy in place. Problem corrected during inspection.
core violations: 1
1. Certified Food Protection Manager category.
inspector comments: Facility does not have a certified person on staff. Currently taking online version of the ServSafe training.
Argentine Grille124 S. Glasgow Ave., Rico
date: July 11
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 1
1. Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events category.
inspector comments: Facility does not have a procedure in place. Problem corrected during inspection.
core violations: 2
1. Certified Food Protection Manager category.
inspector comments: Facility does not have a certified person on site. Has been working on the course online.
2. Food contact surfaces; cleaned and sanitized category.
inspector comments: Ice machine has buildup of mildew on inside of the dumping lid. The cleaning of this equipment must be done a frequency to preclude accumulation of soil or mold.
Retro Inn at Mesa Verde2040 E. Main St. Cortez
date: July 10
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
