Cockroaches, rodents and more. Why 10 restaurants failed inspections in Fresno County

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Health violations ranging from cockroach infestations to fire damage and rodent droppings to plumbing woes were among the factors that led to the temporary closure of 10 restaurants or food businesses across Fresno County in October.

The closures by Fresno County Department of Public Health inspectors affected businesses in Fresno, Clovis, Reedley, Easton and Caruthers. Most of the closures lasted for a day or two, but two places remained closed as of early November.

The Fresno businesses included a Holiday Inn Express, Papaya Fresh International Market and Pho #76, while Clovis restaurants affected were a Jersey Mike’s Subs shop, Japanese Kitchen, and Kowloon Kitchen. In rural Fresno County, The Pirate’s Den and Sun China Chinese Restaurant in Reedley were closed after inspections, as was the Adina Valley Market in Easton and the Super Mart in Caruthers.

Details from the county’s inspections include:

• Holiday Inn Express, 7191 W. Kathryn Ave. near Herndon Avenue and Highway 99 in northwest Fresno: The kitchen of the hotel was closed after an Oct. 1 inspection due to operating without a valid county permit. An inspector also attempted to conduct a routine inspection but was not given access to the facility’s food and beverage area by the front desk. The kitchen was authorized to reopen on Oct. 4 after the business obtained its permit.

• Papaya Fresh International Market, 2047 W. Shaw Ave. near West Avenue in northwest Fresno: The bakery area of the market was closed following an Oct. 1 fire in the roof where the mechanical ventilation for the oven was located. The bakery remained closed as of Nov. 4.

• Super Mart, 2307 W. Tahoe Ave. at Henderson Road in Caruthers: An Oct. 4 inspection determined that none of the refrigerator units at the store/restaurant were able to maintain temperatures cold enough to meet food-safety requirements, forcing a closure of the business and the destruction of more than 40 pounds of food that was held in the refrigerators. The business was allowed to reopen later the same day after the refrigerators were serviced.

• Adina Valley Market, 9010 S. Elm Ave. at Manning Avenue, south of Easton: The market was closed on Oct. 4 after an inspection found there was a lack of potable water; the business was allowed to reopen after a reinspection visit later that day.

• Sun China Chinese Restaurant, 1526 E. Manning Ave., at S. Buttonwillow Avenue in the Reedley Shopping Center: The restaurant was ordered closed after an Oct. 8 inspection discovered a cockroach infestation, rodent droppings in a storage room and an extensive buildup of grease on kitchen equipment. The restaurant was allowed to reopen after passing an Oct. 10 reinspection.

• Pho #76 restaurant, 4793 E. McKinley Ave. near Chestnut Avenue in east-central Fresno: An Oct. 10 health inspection revealed a cockroach infestation that forced the closure of the restaurant. It reopened a day later, Oct. 11, following a reinspection visit.

• Jersey Mike’s Subs #20197, 3170 Fowler Ave. at Ashlan Avenue, in the Vons shopping center in Clovis: Plumbing problems including a kitchen warewashing sink not draining and the presence of standing water during an Oct. 14 inspection prompted a closure order for the restaurant. A reinspection later the same day allowed the business to reopen.

• The Pirate’s Den, 1550 E. Manning Ave. at S. Buttonwillow Avenue in the Reedley Shopping Center: An Oct. 17 inspection discovered a lack of hot water at the warewashing sink in the kitchen. The restaurant remained closed as of Nov. 4.

• Japanese Kitchen, 711 W. Shaw Ave. at Willow Avenue, in the Western Village Shopping Center in Clovis: The restaurant was closed following an Oct. 22 inspection due to cockroaches throughout the facility and an accumulation of grease on cooking equipment. An Oct. 25 resinspection visit allowed the restaurant to reopen.

• Kowloon Kitchen, 651 Shaw Ave. at Clovis Avenue, in the Bonanza Shopping Center in Clovis: An Oct. 25 inspection found that there was a lack of hot water at the warewashing and handwashing sinks in the kitchen. The restaurant was reopened later that day after hot water was restored.

What inspectors look for

The Fresno County Department of Public Health has about two dozen environmental health specialists who monitor almost 5,000 restaurants, snack bars, grocery stores, commissaries, delicatessens and food vendors across the county, making unannounced visits several times a year.

Restaurants also are inspected in response to complaints or other concerns from the public, including when people report what they believe are health or sanitation issues at restaurants.

Insect or vermin infestations are violations that can result in immediate closure of restaurants or food businesses when they are observed by health inspectors.

Among other serious concerns for food safety are 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 Department of Public 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.

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.

When inspectors visit a restaurant or other food service business, there is a lengthy and detailed list of more than 50 things that draw their scrutiny. They include:

• Whether the manager and all employees have the required food safety or food-handling certificates.

• Hygiene of individual employees.

• Ways to keep cold food at or below 41 degrees and hot food above 135 degrees.

• Use of proper sterilization for counters, tables, utensils and cookware.

• Proper drainage of sinks and floor drains.

• Restrooms stocked with supplies.

• Whether the business has the proper license or permit.