Sacramento County’s food cops had quite a week. Late last week, environmental health inspectors cited eight area food businesses after routine checks, turning up everything from an employee flossing at the cook line to a barbecue shop ordered closed after inspectors reported as many as 225 rodent droppings.
According to The Sacramento Bee, the county’s May 28–June 3 roundup includes Lucky Wok in Arden-Arcade, where an employee was seen flossing at the cook line, then heading right back to food prep. Our Family BBQ and Pies was hit with a red placard after inspectors documented up to 225 rodent droppings. Both spots were later reinspected and earned their way back to green placards.
The Bee also highlights a 7-Eleven at 1341 J St., where more than a dozen ready-to-eat items were held above safe cold temperatures. At El Puerto Mexican Restaurant in Rancho Cordova, inspectors cited a worker who handled raw meat, then touched cheese without washing their hands. Other violations scattered across the roundup included missing soap at hand-wash stations, improperly cooled foods and a single cockroach nymph discovered in a flour container. Not exactly the garnish anyone ordered.
How the placards work
Per the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, the Green-Yellow-Red placard system is meant to give diners a quick read on inspection results. A green placard means a pass. Yellow signals a conditional pass that triggers a follow-up inspection within 24 to 72 hours. Red means inspectors found an imminent danger that requires the place to close on the spot…