RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: China East Cited for 15 Health Code Violations

The Prince William Health District recently cited China East Restaurant in Gainesville for 15 violations of the health code; which include 11 repeat violations.

China East, located at 16838 Piedmont Center Plaza, was previously cited for 20 violations May 7, 2013.

According to the May 6 Health District report, the critical violations included:

Critical Repeat (Corrected During Inspection): Raw foods of animal origin stored over ready-to-eat (RTE) food in the walk-in cooler unit.

Critical Repeat (Corrected During Inspection): Different types of raw animal foods stored in such a manner that may cause cross contamination in the walk-in cooler.

Other non-critical violations include:

• Repeat: A sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at the handwashing sink by the tea urn.
• No soap was provided at the hand washing sink by the tea urn.
• No disposable towels were provided at the front kitchen hand washing sink.
• Food not covered in walk-in cooler to protect from possible contamination.
• Corrected During Inspection: Accumulation of food debris on bulk food storage bin food scoops.
• Repeat: Food stored on the floor or food stored less than 6" above the floor in the walk-in refrigeration units.
• Repeat: rice scoops improperly stored between uses.
• Repeat: Plastic bottle racks used for storage platforms in walk-in freezer.
• Repeat: The mop sink water line to the chemical mixer / dispenser lacks a backflow or backsiphonage prevention device identified as meeting standards set by the American Society of Sanitary Engineering.
• Repeat: Dead / missing lamps / bulbs in kitchen, exhaust hood, and restroom hallway.
• Repeat: Cardboard liners on walk-in freezer floor.
• Repeat: Mop and bucket stored at rear kitchen handsink.
• Repeat: Less than 20 foot candles of light at the handsink by the tea urn.

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“Restaurant inspections are normally scheduled for one to four inspections per year, depending on the complexity of the menu, how much food is made from raw products and how much is made in advance rather than cooked-to-order,” the agency states on their website.

When violations are observed during a routine inspection, they are detailed in a report and classified as either critical (posing a direct or immediate threat to consumers) or non-critical (a failure of cleaning or maintenance), the Health District said.

These inspections are considered by the Health District as a snapshot of a specific day of operation.

According to the agency: “Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations.”