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Rodent droppings at an Empire gas station, flies at a Modesto ice cream shop and a cross-contamination risk at a Modesto restaurant were some of the violations observed by Stanislaus County health inspectors in early October.
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 62 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Wednesday, eight were not updated on the site as of Wednesday afternoon.
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email Modesto Bee reporter Dominique Williams at dwilliams@modbee.com .
Bug spray next to sauce buckets among violations
Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the weeks of Oct. 7-13. 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 .
Empire Gas and Food , 5018 Yosemite Blvd. in Empire, had five violations during a reinspection Oct. 7 — one of them major. There was evidence of rodent droppings in the room with the three-compartment sink on the floor and on the sink’s drain boards. Rodent droppings were also in the customer-service area on the bottom shelf of the potato chip shelving. In the beverage storeroom and the room with the three-compartment sink, there were multiple rodent snap traps in use. These traps are not approved for food facilities. The three-compartment sink room had a large hole were the coving is located. The bathroom soap dispenser was not mounted to the wall.
Three violations remained during a second reinspection Oct. 14 — including the rodent droppings.
Cold Stone Creamery , 3501 McHenry Ave. Suite A8 in Modesto, had three violations on Oct. 7. Two live flies were noted in the prep area. Food debris and grime was accumulated on the floor in the prep area. The two floor sinks in the ice cream serving area were not draining properly.
Boss’s One Stop Shop , 428 F St. in Waterford, had three violations Oct. 7 — one of them major. The three-compartment sink hot and cold water valves were turned off. This sink’s drainboards were cluttered with miscellaneous items. The bathroom toilet paper was not placed in the mounted dispenser.
Hughson High School cafe and gym snack bar, 7419 E. Whitmore Ave. in Hughson, had two major violations Oct. 8. The hot-holding unit had cooked chicken at 120 to 126 degrees (must be 135 degrees or higher). Prepared egg sandwiches were stored at room temperature with a cold plate below the sandwiches (must be 41 degrees or lower).
La Oficina Bar & Restaurant , 700 H St. in Modesto, had three violations during a third reinspection Oct. 8 — one of them major. Multiple holes were observed on the wall, and the cove base was in disrepair in the kitchen area. The food safety certification and food handler cards were not available.
Scotty’s Donuts , 1420 Yosemite Blvd. in Modesto, had 10 violations during an inspection Oct. 9, which was the result of a complaint. Four of the violations were major. The complaint alleged there was a cockroach infestation, as well as grease buildup under cooking equipment. During the inspection, there was no evidence of cockroach activity, however, there was excessive buildup around the cooking line.
Food was observed being stored in the three-compartment sink. The soap dispenser was empty at hand wash sink in kitchen. Employees said they were using the food-prep sink to wash their hands. The hot water at the three-compartment sink and the food prep sink was at 114 degrees (must be a minimum of 120 degrees). Sanitizer and test strips were lacking for the three-compartment sink.
Cans of Raid were stored next to buckets of Kikkoman sauce. Potentially hazardous foods were stored in a refrigerator next to the drive-thru window. The data plate for the refrigerator states the unit is intended for prepackaged bottles and cans only. Containers that are not food-grade were used to store food in refrigerators. Food safety and food handler cards were not available.
Sungold Petroleum , 3037 Sisk Road in Modesto, had four violations Oct. 9 — two of them major. Improper ware-washing methods were used. Staff members were not sanitizing the soda machine nozzles after washing them. The facility was lacking sanitizer test strips. Pressurized carbon dioxide cylinders were not fastened to a rigid structure. The facility was lacking a valid food safety certification.
P.A.C.E. Center , 2401 E. Orangeburg Ave. Suite 330 in Modesto, had three violations Oct. 10. The automatic dishwasher was not operational. The ice machine was not operational. Sanitizer test strips were lacking.
Ah Huevo , 101 E. Glenn Ave., Suite J, in Modesto, had three violations Oct. 10. A moldlike growth/stain was observed on the interior surfaces of the ice machine in the kitchen. Open bags of flour, a bag of rice and several sealed containers of food were observed on the ground in the dry storage area. Internal thermometers were lacking in the refrigeration units in the kitchen.
El Pollo Feliz , 1616 Crows Landing Road in Modesto, had five violations Oct. 10. Several open containers of bulk food items beneath the food-prep table were observed to be open (exposed to contamination) without lids and unlabeled. Raw chicken and other meat products were stored above raw produce in the walk-in refrigerator. This is a repeat violation and poses a cross-contamination risk, according to the report. The water in the sanitizer bucket appeared thickly soiled and cloudy. The paper towel dispenser was empty at the main hand-washing station in the kitchen. Food manager and food handler certifications expired in 2023.
Chevron , 320 N. Second St. in Patterson, had three violations Oct. 11. The door handle for the walk-in refrigerator was missing and was replaced with a coat hanger. The hand-washing sink had significant grime buildup. The sink basin also was filled with debris, towels and empty cans.
Other food facilities with three or more, or major, violations at the time of their inspections are:
Minor violations
Posh Bagel , 3501 McHenry Ave. Suite B2 in Modesto, had one violation on Oct. 7. A “couple of” flies were observed in the food prep area. The violation was noted as corrected during a reinspection on Oct. 14.
According to Stanislaus County, other food facilities that had one to two violations, none of them major, are:
No violations
These food facilities had no violations, according to the county:
- Agave Azul
- All Candies and Treats
- Alyx’s Homemade Goods
- Chevron , 1600 Sisk Road, Modesto
- Circle K , 1212 Joyce Ave., Modesto
- Denny’s , 15001 Rogers Road, Patterson
- Fisherman’s Bend
- Jim’s Donuts and Bagels
- Lakewood Elementary School Cafeteria
- Modesto Grocery & Deli
- Modesto Senior Center
- Newman Liquor
- Patterson Health & Fitness
- Pizza Hut , 1212 Joyce Ave., Modesto
- Prime Time Nutrition , 1940 Crows Landing Road Suite 18, Modesto
- Smart Nutrition
- St. Stanislaus Golf Snack Bar
- Starbucks , 2201 W. Main St., Turlock
- Stop N Save Liquors
- Taco Bell , 1241 Standiford Ave., Modesto
- The Chicken Barn
- The Ice Cream Company
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