Local Tucson Restaurant Cited for 11 Health Code Violations

There were several problems with the hand washing sink.Photo byMélissa JeantyonUnsplash

If a business serves food in greater Tucson, it receives a visit from the county health inspector. It doesn’t matter if it is a full-blown restaurant, a food cart, truck, stand, or (technically) someone selling out of the back of their truck. If it is a business it will receive an inspection. Food trucks, carts, and stands have an abbreviated inspection, as these installations do not have the same kind of equipment as a brick-and-mortar location. Due to this, fewer violations are typically identified. However, one local food vendor here in Tucson was slapped with 11 violations during their most recent inspection. 

On July 26, Hibachi Heat, with a site location of 7330 South Sorrel Lane here in Tucson was visited by a health inspector for its annual visit. Over the course of the visit, three Core violations and eight Priority/Priority Foundation violations were found. Core violations are more significant, though Priority Violations do contribute to the possibility of foodborne illness and injury. 

The first Core violation came when the inspector could not find any Certified Food Protection Manager certifications on-site, despite both the Person In Charge (PIC) and a second employee stating they had received such documentation. The inspector told the PIC to procure the document and keep it within the vehicle at all times moving forward. 

The two other Core violations came with a broken self-closing door (all doors to food preparation and service areas must be self-closing) and with cooked chicken wings. Any ready-to-serve hot food must maintain a temperature no lower than 135 degrees. Temperatures between 42 and 134 degrees are considered the “Danger Zone” as bacteria will grow in this temperature zone. Despite, this, the cooked chicken had tested temperatures as low as 98 degrees. 

Inside the food truck, there were three refrigerators, although two of the refrigerators were not working (or plugged in). The staff was relying on coolers full of ice to keep food below the required 41-degree threshold. The PIC was told they had 10 days to repair the other two refrigerators. With the malfunctioning refrigerators, much of the food kept in the coolers was far too warm. Raw beef was tested at 53 degrees, with other raw meats testing above 41 degrees. The ranch dressing had a temperature of 78 degrees.

There were additional problems with the sinks on hand. The hand-washing sink was full of utensils, while the hot water valve did not work. Temperatures could only reach 90 degrees while hand-washing water must reach at least 100 degrees. The PIC was told to have the hot water valve repaired within 10 days.