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Larvae in broccoli and unpermitted flea market vendors: Stanislaus inspections

Restaurant inspections

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Stanislaus County health inspectors observed larvae in broccoli at a Modesto restaurant and unpermitted food vendors at the flea market during inspections conducted in late April through early May.

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 97 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Tuesday, 25 were not updated on the site as of Tuesday morning.

Roaches and larvae, among major violations

Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the week of April 27-May 11. 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.

Modesto Flea Market, 1107 S. Seventh St. in Modesto, had three violations during an inspection April 28 that was the result of a complaint. The complaint alleged that there was an unpermitted vendor selling cut fruit and freshly squeezed juice. The complaint was verified. An unpermitted vendor was observed breaking down a booth. Evidence of freshly squeezed juice and cut fruit was observed. The vendors were educated on how to become permitted with the county to sell potentially hazardous foods.

A California Churros cart was observed selling aguas frescas. The cart was approved to sell churros only. Numerous vendors were observed selling potentially hazardous foods, including cut fruit and empanadas. Vendors are approved to sell only whole fruit and produce. No food preparation is allowed at an approved flea market or swap meet. Numerous vendors were observed selling unlabeled whole foods.

Commonwealth, 1022 11th St. in Modesto, had five violations April 29. Chips were placed on a drainboard of the three-compartment sink. Floors under shelves, as well as the walk-in cooler floor, were soiled with fallen items. The hand-soap dispenser at the sink in the bar was broken. One of the dispensers in the bathroom closest to the kitchen was missing. Air gaps were lacking at some of the indirect connections.

Quik Stop, 1500 Crows Landing Road in Modesto, had five violations April 29. Several ants were observed at the three-compartment sink and moving along the wall next to the sink. Trash, debris and fallen items were observed on the floor of the walk-in refrigerator, under the shelves of the backroom and under the sink. Several contact points were soiled and needed to be cleaned and maintained. Weatherstripping at the rear exterior door was deteriorating. The “FRP”at the mop sink was incomplete.

Fat Wong Chinese Food to Go, 3121 Yosemite Blvd., Suite B2, in Modesto, had two inspections, on April 29 and May 6. During the inspection April 29, there were four violations — one of them major. The internal temperature of the prep refrigerator ranged from 41 to 47 degrees (must be 41 degrees or lower). The ambient temperature of this refrigerator was 43 degrees. There was a condensation leak in the walk-in refrigerator. Metal pots used to collect old cooking oil had cooking oil stain buildup.

The inspection May 6 was the result of a complaint. The complaint is not explicitly outlined in the report, which states that each order of wonton soup is prepared individually with pork-filled wonton, fresh broccoli and carrots. Several heads of broccoli were placed in a compartment of the sink and submerged in fresh water. One larvae (green color) was noted.

Yogurt Mill, 801 W. Roseburg Ave. in Modesto, had three violations May 1 — two of them major. Hot water was lacking throughout the facility. Water was noted at 62 degrees at the mop sink, two-compartment sink and bathroom hand-washing sink. The hand-washing sink next to the blenders had a temperature of 76 degrees. This sink was also obstructed with food containers.

Seng’s Restaurant, 1100 Carver Road, Suite F, in Modesto, had four violations May 1. There was a lot of spillage and food stains on surfaces at the cook’s line. All surfaces and hand-contact points were observed with dried grime and food. The internal temperature of cooked pork in the walk-in refrigerator was 51 degrees. Sanitizer buckets were not set up.

Gas and Market, 2241 Yosemite Blvd. in Modesto, had five violations May 5. The bathroom floor had stains and grime accumulation. There were debris accumulation and stain buildup on the floor of the walk-in refrigerator. The interior ceiling of this refrigerator had what appeared to the inspector to be a water leak. The three-compartment was not accessible for the cleaning, rinsing and sanitizing of utensils. Boxes of paper drinking cups were stored atop the compartments. The wastewater conduit pipe from this sink was leaking water.

7-Eleven, 1305 Herndon Road in Ceres, had four violations May 7. The floor in front of the three-compartment sink was soiled and cluttered with merchandise returns. Several fallen items were observed under shelves in the back room and storage area. The hand-washing sink was not accessible. The soap dispenser in the patron bathroom was empty.

Walt Hanline Elementary School, 4295 Central Ave. in Ceres, had eight violations May 8. A food-storage rack had spiderwebs throughout the shelving and equipment. Food debris was also noted on the cookie sheet pans. The drawers adjacent to the steam tables had a brown, translucent jellylike substance throughout the food utensils and the bottom of the drawer. There was a large container with an unknown spice/dry food mixture half covered with cellophane wrap on a storage rack.

The floors in the ware-washing area were sticky. Puddles of encrusted soap were seen underneath the food disposal sink. The floors in the refrigerator were encrusted with residue and food debris. The floors in the walk-in freezer were soiled with food debris and encrusted with patches of white residue. The concentration of sanitizer in a bucket concentration was noted at 200+ ppm. Sanitizer test strips had significant brown discoloration.

United Samaritans Foundation and St. Stanislaus School, 1416 Maze Blvd. in Modesto, had six violations May 6. There was evidence of roaches in a trap. There were two worn sponges on the sink. The three-door refrigerator was at 50.5 degrees. There was no hot water at the three-compartment sink. There were no paper towels in the dispenser. The health permit had expired.

Two violations, including evidence of roaches, remained during a reinspection May 14.

The Post Restaurant & Bar, 5801 Stoddard Road in Modesto, had six violations during an inspection May 8 that was the result of a complaint. The complaint alleged that employees do not wash their hands and that there was mold in the ice bins. Inspectors went over the facility’s regular and proper hand-washing procedures with staff. Some grime had accumulated on the interior surface of the large ice machine bin.

A few cutting boards had dark grooves on one side. Some dust or grime had accumulated on the condenser fan unit, on food bottles and on shelving units within the walk-in refrigerator. An ice scoop was found inside an ice bin in the bar area. One of the lights in the storage room was not operational, as it had shattered. A valid food safety certificate was lacking.

One violation remained during a reinspection May 15.

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

Minor violations

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

No violations

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

This story was originally published May 27, 2025 at 5:38 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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