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Treadmill in a doughnut shop and a food scale in a bathroom: Stanislaus County inspections

In our Reality Check stories, Modesto Bee journalists deliver fast facts about the issues that matter to local residents to hold officials and institutions accountable. Read more. Story idea? Tips@modbee.com.

A treadmill was observed in a food storage area of an Oakdale doughnut shop and a food scale was found in the bathroom of a Turlock market during health inspections conducted in Stanislaus County in mid-August.

The majority of the 2,400 permitted food service establishments in the county receive two unannounced routine food safety inspections per year, according to the Department of Environmental Resources. The website says inspection reports are scanned weekly.

Food trucks that operate under a Stanislaus County Health Department permit also are inspected by the county, though those are scheduled and done at the department’s office.

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Of the 91 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Wednesday, nine were not updated on the site as of Thursday afternoon.

If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email Modesto Bee reporter Dominique Williams at dwilliams@modbee.com.

Food scale in a bathroom and other major violations

Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the week of Aug. 12-18. Only the dates of violations are listed.

The details of the reports do not indicate whether a restaurant passed or failed inspection. Corrective actions may have been made by the business by the time of publication.

The reports are linked. For updates on individual restaurants, search the DER website.

Tony’s Donuts and Grill, 4811 Yosemite Blvd. in Empire, had 10 violations Aug. 12 — one of them major. Cooked chicken was in a pan in a steam table with the heat turned off. Its temperature was measured at 56 to 67 degrees (must be 135 degrees or higher). The interior and exterior surfaces of the upright freezer had food stain buildup and the door gaskets were damaged. The interior surfaces of the hood system had a deep buildup of grease and black smoke residue. Shelving had a grease residue buildup above the two-compartment sink. The floor area below equipment and preparation tables had food debris and grease buildup.

The two-compartment sink’s hot water temperature was 118 degrees (must be 120 degrees minimum). The bathroom hand-sink soap dispenser was not operational. A valid food handler card and food manager safety certification were lacking.

All violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection Aug. 19.

Food Maxx, 1845 Countryside Drive in Turlock, had six violations Aug. 13 — three of them major. The walk-in freezer in the meat department had a clog in the floor sink, where water was observed puddling. Also in the meat department, there was a milk crate and a cardboard box full of expired food placed atop a cutting board. The door to the walk-in refrigerator in the produce department was in disrepair. The hinge to the door and the weatherstripping was weathered halfway through the bottom.

In both bathrooms, paper towels were not in their dispensers, which were in disrepair. Both bathrooms also had inoperable toilet paper dispensers. In the women’s bathroom, part of the ceiling above the diaper-changing station had water damage and mold growth.

Three violations remained during a reinspection Aug. 28 — one of them major.

El Marisquero, 601 Tully Road in Modesto, had five violations Aug. 14 — two of them major. Beef in a container in the prep fridge was 44 degrees, and shrimp was in a metal pan at 51 degrees (both must be 41 degrees or lower). Filters in the exhaust hood were laden with grease. Paper towels were lacking in one of the bathrooms, and a few food handler cards were expired.

Starbucks Coffee, 3000 Geer Road in Turlock, had four violations Aug. 14 — one of them major. The hot water at the three-compartment sink was between 105 and 110 degrees (must be 120 degrees minimum). The counters had puddles and were sticky from spilled beverages. The sanitizer at the counters and in buckets was cloudy. The roof hatch was open above the walkway into the food service area. Per the person in charge, the air-conditioning unit was being repaired.

All violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection Aug. 15.

Central Catholic High School, 220 S. Carpenter Road in Modesto, had five violations Aug. 14 — two of them major. There was a lack of hot water at the three-compartment sink and a lack of sanitizer in the automatic dishwasher. A container of lighter fluid was observed on a food cart at the snack bar. There was no ice scoop for the ice machine at the snack bar. One filter was missing in the exhaust hood at the snack bar kitchen.

Modesto Senior Center, 211 Bodem Ave. in Modesto, had two major violations Aug. 14. The meatloaf and gravy temperatures were 116 to 117 degrees (must be 165 degrees or above). These potentially hazardous foods were stored outside on a preparation table and not in a hot-holding unit. There were no hot-holding units in the facility.

Queen Bean Coffee House, 1126 14th St. in Modesto, had six violations Aug. 14. There was an accumulation of food crumbs, stains and debris under the front prep area. There was dust buildup and peeling paint on the ceiling of the food prep room. The refrigerator was at 53 degrees (must be 42 degrees or lower). The hot water was turned off at the three-compartment sink due to a leak. Soap and towel dispensers were empty. Both food handler and food safety certificates had expired.

One violation remained during a reinspection Aug. 29.

Neesan Market, 2810 Geer Road in Turlock, had five violations Aug. 14 — one of them major. Inspectors observed a food scale in the bathroom. Sanitizer buckets were not set up and free-standing thermometers were lacking in refrigeration units throughout the facility. Light was seen coming from underneath the back exit door and from the bottom half of the door, potentially letting rodents, flies, cockroaches and other vermin enter. A bulk block of cheese portioned into smaller pieces was at 45 degrees (must be 41 degrees or lower).

Golden West Market, 2601 Paradise Road in Modesto, had five violations Aug. 15. Pink and black grime had accumulated on the interior ceiling surface of the ice machine bin. The janitor’s sink was inaccessible due to a large number of cardboard boxes and other stored items blocking the way. A back storage room for alcohol products had unfinished walls, and there were gaps between the tops of the walls and the ceilings. The floor sink inside the cabinet beneath the soda fountain had a large accumulation of grime. The facility had quaternary ammonium sanitizer on site but lacked test strips.

Two violations remained during a reinspection Aug. 16.

Susy’s Cocina, 2601 Paradise Road in Modesto (inside Golden West Market), had four violations Aug. 15 — one of them major. The hand-wash sink lacked hot water. The warm water temperature was 85 degrees (must be 100 degrees minimum). The Internal temperature of cut tomatoes in the prep fridge were at 46 and 47 degrees (must be 41 degrees or lower). The prep fridge was found propped open. The facility had quaternary ammonium sanitizer but lacked test strips.

One violation remained during a reinspection Aug. 16.

Tandoori Flame, 2345 Sperry Ave. in Patterson, had four violations Aug. 15 — one of them major. Sanitizer buckets were not set up within or near the food preparation areas. The hood baffle filters were coated with significant oil and grease accumulation. Significant amounts of food debris were observed on the ground within the kitchen area, beneath the equipment and beneath the steel storage shelves within the dry storage area. Food prep boards were soiled, stained and worn. Multiple knife grooves were visible in these boards.

Other food facilities with three or more, or major, violations at the time of their inspections are:

Treadmill in a food storage area among nonmajor violations

Wingstop, 1040 Sperry Ave., Suite C, in Patterson, had one violation Aug. 14. Several flies were seen in the kitchen area. Inspectors noted there were no air curtains at the main entrance or the rear service/delivery door.

Subway, 901 N. Carpenter Road, Suite 20, in Modesto, had one violation during an inspection Aug. 14 which was the result of a complaint. The complaint alleged that food from this facility was acquired and eaten Aug. 1, prior to the onset of illness on or around Aug. 2. Food, refrigerator and hot water temperatures as well as employee hand washing practices were good. The one violation was a single live fly in the sandwich food preparation area.

Donut Family, 829 W. F St. in Oakdale, had one violation Aug. 15. There was a treadmill in the facility where dry food ingredients were stored.

According to Stanislaus County, other food facilities that had one to two violations, none of them major, are:

No violations for these Stanislaus County food facilities

These food facilities had no violations, according to the county:

This story was originally published August 30, 2024 at 2:12 PM.

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Dominique Williams
The Modesto Bee
209-253-9007
Dominique Williams writes about new business, restaurant and retail developments for The Modesto Bee. She is a Ripon native and a graduate of Sacramento State.
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