3 South MS kitchens fail health inspection. Two had bugs, rodents or animals present

Three South Mississippi kitchens failed their restaurant inspections over the past two weeks, two of them for having bugs, rodents or animals present.

Mississippi Health Department does not specify whether the inspector found insects, mice or some type of animal such as a pet in the kitchen.

Mississippi follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2022 food code , which directs inspectors to look for evidence of insects or rodents throughout the food preparation process and in unexpected places like the can opener on vending machines and in recycling bins,

The code also requires restaurant owners to routinely inspect the premises for evidence of pests, inspect incoming shipments of food and supplies and take measures to trap or kill the pests.

These kitchens were cited since June 17:

Crossroad Panda Palace Buffet , 15200 Crossroad Parkway, Gulfport, was inspected July 1 for a permit renewal. It was cited for:

▪ Time as public health control, procedures, records

Corrected during the inspection were:

▪ Insects, rodents and animals present

▪ Food separated and protected

▪ Food contact surface cleaned and sanitized

This was the first C dating back to June 2023.

Dixie Depot , 6241 Mississippi 613, Lucedale had a scheduled inspection on June 27. It was cited for:

▪ Insects, rodents or animals present

This is the third C dating back to 2016. The last one was in 2020.

Circle K , 803 U.S. 90, Waveland, had a scheduled inspection June 24. It was cited for:

▪ Food contact surface not cleaned and sanitized

▪ Insects, rodents or animals present

Corrected during the inspection was:

▪ Adequate hand washing facilities supplied and accessible.

This is the second C since 2020.

Restaurants and kitchens in Mississippi are rated “A” if they pass the health department inspection, “B” if all violations are corrected during the inspection and “C” if the violations are critical.

The health inspection grade must be displayed in all restaurants, in kitchens such as school cafeterias, day care centers, and cafes and bars where food is sold.

Most restaurants, kitchens and food trucks in District IX in South Mississippi had no violations during June. The health department scored 269 kitchens an A and 60 a B. Twelve 12 restaurants and kitchens, or 4.5% of the restaurants inspected in June, scored a C.