Bar flies and a repeat violation at one area restaurant: Inspections

The state Department of Agriculture conducts annual inspections of food-serving businesses to ensure public safety and safe food-handling practices. Schools are inspected twice per year, according to the Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratories.      

Whether an establishment is considered compliant or non-compliant is the discretion of the inspector.         

There are, however, several violations for which inspectors should automatically consider establishments non-compliant. Called "critical violations," they include food temperature issues, employee hygiene and issues with chemicals and how they're handled.   

Depending on the severity of the situation, inspectors and their supervisors could file citations or close an establishment. 

Inspection Violations: 4/13/2023 

SMOKEY BONES BAR & FIRE GRILL #7603 - 1301 KENNETH RD. - YORK, PA 

• The Person in Charge did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of the PA Food Code as evidenced by incorrect responses to food safety questions related to the facilities HACCP plan. 
• The Person in Charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. 
• Employee foods (on the cook's line) and drinks intermingled with foods intended for use or sale in the facility. 
• Food employees observed in the preparation area, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as beard covers. 
• Food dispensing utensil in dry rub seasoning observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food and the container. 
• Foods, pans, single service items stored directly under ceiling tiles that are deteriorated - the coating is flaking off the tiles. 
• Numerous meats (chicken, beef, and pork) were held at 111 - 125 °F, in the cooker/hot holding units in the cook's line area, rather than 135°F or above as required. Foods were in the units for approximately one hour and will be reheated for holding to required temperatures. 
• Old filthy tape used to label sauce bottles on the cook's line. 
• Heavy accumulation of ice on the walk-in freezer floor, wall, and condenser unit. 
• Microwave interior splash guard is not in place, this unit should not be used until all parts are properly installed. 
• Mechanical warewashing equipment had a mineral and filth buildup observed inside. 
• The following food contact surfaces, were observed to have food/filth/sticker residue and are not clean to sight and touch. Upper interior of microwave. Upper interior of ice machine. Bar gun style soda dispenser. Food pans and container stored as clean. Sauce squeeze bottle dispensing nozzles. Warmer units at finished food pass through. Underside of all shelving on the cook's line. 
• Observed cooking, cooling, holding, and storage equipment, in cook’s line and food preparation areas, with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces. 
• Non-food contact surfaces throughout non-public areas are not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. 
• The hand washing sink on the cook's line is extremely filthy and in need of cleaning. 
• Plumbing system not maintained in good repair - observed right side cooks line hand sink leaking at the wastewater pipe. 
• Rear employee door to the outside, located in the kitchen area of the food facility is being propped open. 
• Ceramic tile floor throughout kitchen area is damaged, tiles broken and missing, grout is deteriorated creating areas that are not cleanable where food crumbs and liquids are pooling. REPEAT VIOLATION 
• Observed at least 12 flying insects (fruit flies, house flies) in the dish machine area. More than 12 fruit fly like insects observed in the bar area near the beer taps. 
• Old unused equipment stored in kitchen area, should be removed from food facility. 
• Floors, walls and ceilings throughout the kitchen, preparation, and storage areas of the food facility are extremely dirty, dusty, food splattered and in need of cleaning. 
• Observed extremely heavy accumulation of grease and static dust on ceiling vent guards in the dry storage room. 
• Working containers in storage area, used for storing *chemicals, cleaners* taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. 
• A working container of sanitizer was stored above or on the same shelf with food, equipment, and/or single service articles in the storage area. 
• Food facility unable to provide documentation for procedures, monitoring of critical control points, and corrective actions in the HACCP plan submitted to and approved by the Department. No adequate documentation could be provided. Person in Charge did not understand critical control points, monitoring, corrective actions, and verification. Cooking temperatures, cooling temperatures are not being taken and recorded as HACCP plan requires. 

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Inspection Violations: 4/10/2023 

SILANTRA - 310 TOWN CENTER DR. - YORK, PA 

• The Person in Charge did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of the PA Food Code as evidenced by incorrect responses to food safety questions. 
• Food Employee observed donning single use gloves without a prior hand wash. 
• In use utensils, knives and cutting boards in the grill area are not being changed out at 4-hour intervals. 
• Observed wet wiping cloths in all food prep areas, not being stored in sanitizer solution. 
• Shrimp was held at 122 °F, chicken was held at 110 °F, beef was held at 96 °F in the hot hold table area, rather than 135°F or above as required. Corrected. Facility discarded food. 
• Time in lieu of temperature being used in the food facility to control ready to eat potentially hazardous foods, cooked chicken, beef and shrimp, without written procedures or documentation to verify disposition of food. 
• Thermometers for ensuring proper temperatures of food are not available or readily accessible. 
• Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration 
• The quaternary ammonia concentration in the sanitizing solution of the 3-bay warewash sink was 00 ppm, rather than 200-400 ppm as stated on the manufacturers use directions. Corrected. 
• Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. 
• Observed clean food equipment and/or utensils in warewashing area, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining and/or air drying (wet nesting). 
• Working containers of bleach taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected. 

Inspection Violations: 4/8/2023 

J&B'S GRILL - 14 N. MAIN - SHREWSBURY, PA 

• The Person in Charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. 
• Food Employee observed donning single use gloves without a prior hand wash. 
• Food Employee observed changing tasks that may have contaminated hands without a proper handwash in-between. 
• Owner observed in kitchen/prep area, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats, and beard cover. 
• Assorted foods (hard cooked eggs in liquid, feta cheese, black olives) in the two door baine marie cooling unit stored open with no covering. 
• Observed salt? and pepper? bowls on the ledge at the griddle area, on a plate, not labeled with the common name of the food. Observed five bottles in the two door baine marie and two bottles stored above the two door baine marie are not labeled with the common name of the foods stored inside. Observed numerous food items, tuna and feta cheese not labeled with the common name of the food. 
• Refrigerated ready to eat, time/temperature control for safety food, hard cooked eggs stored in liquid and prepared in the food facility and held for more than 24 hours, located in the two door baine marie area, is not being date marked. 
• Commercially processed refrigerated, ready to eat, time/temperature control for safety food, black olives, shredded cheddar, tuna salad and feta cheese, located in the two door baine marie area, and held more than 24 hours, is not being marked with the date it was opened. 
• Loose/deteriorated and dirty rubber door gaskets observed on the migali cooling unit under the toaster area. 
• Observed deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required on the two door baine marie and the prep table next to this baine marie. 
• Observed the following in food contact surfaces: Accumulation of grease and dust on the ansel arms over the griddle and stove area dripping onto the food being prepared below. Lubricating grease from the motor housing of a large table top mixer dripping the clean mixing bowl and not clean to sight or touch. Overhead ceiling vest with accumulation of dust and the potential to contaminate foods being prepared and cooked in the kitchen area. French fry dicer with accumulation of dried potato on the cutting blades and not clean to sight or touch. Two stacks of cooked, ready to eat, bacon stored directly on re-used cardboard egg crates on top of the Bakers Pride Oven. Two tongs hanging from the ansel arms, which are not a clean surface and contaminated tongs stored there. 
• Observed four inverted black plastic milk crates, stored between the fryer and one door cooler under the toaster area with heavy accumulation of crumbs and grease. Observed tape on the handle of the French fry cutter, which is not a cleanable surface. Observed the bottom of the two door Bakers Pride Oven with heavy accumulation of charred food on the bottom of the oven. 
• Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. 
• The hand-wash sink in the area was blocked by a tray of mugs and not accessible at all times for employee use. 
• Rear exit door located in the kitchen area of the food facility has a gap at the bottom of the door and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals. 
• Mops are not being hung to air dry. 
• Observed cardboard, an absorbent material, being used on food facility floor at the back door of the kitchen area.