3 businesses in Pasco and Richland fail Tri-Cities food safety inspections

The Benton Franklin Health District gave three failing grades in food safety inspections of restaurants and other establishments selling food in the Tri-Cities area Aug. 17-23.

The health district’s food safety team did just five inspections because they spent most of their time making sure food at the Benton Franklin County Fair & Rodeo in Kennewick was safe to eat.

In the district’s routine inspections, businesses or organizations that receive at least 35 points for the more serious red violations are required to have additional inspections and must meet a tougher standard on those.

Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illnesses, such as not keeping hot food hot enough or cold food cold enough, lack of adequate handwashing or bare-hand contact with foods.

Blue violations are low risk factors related to the cleanliness and physical condition of an establishment.

No notice is given before the inspections.

Inspection results are posted online so residents can look up the status and the details of any violations of individual restaurants or check other businesses.

Go to bit.ly/BFHDinspections . Click on the business name and then on the date of the inspection on the right half of the next page. Look for the “Violations” tab.

For questions or complaints about food safety in Benton or Franklin counties, email contactusfoodsafety@BFHD.WA.GOV .

Failed inspections

Castle Catering , 706 Williams Blvd., Richland, Routine Aug. 22 (35 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Inadequate handwashing facilities (not close enough to where food dispensed), room temperature storage or improper use of time as a control.

Mariscos El Kora (Mobile), 1202 W. Lewis St., Pasco, Routine Aug. 23 (65 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Food worker cards not 100%, improper cooling procedures (rice discarded), improper hot holding (<130°F — meat discarded), lack of conformance with approved procedures.

Taqueria 3 Pueblos , 1212 N. Fourth Ave., Pasco, Routine Aug. 23 (60 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: No certified food protection manager on staff, food worker cards not 100%, improper handwashing, bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods (worker did not wear gloves while preparing tacos).

Passed inspections

Moose Lodge , 2617 W. Sylvester St., Pasco Follow-up Aug. 21 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Palouse Pastured Poultry , Routine Aug. 18 (5 Red, 0 Blue)