Flying insects in food prep areas, insects on sticky strips, grimy counters, and no diarrheal event procedures!

By Gary Dickson, Editor Siouxland Observer

City, county and state food inspectors have been visiting Siouxland area restaurants, bakeries, food trucks, school cafeterias, hospitals and convenience stores in November and December.

Below are some of their findings over the past two months as reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level.

The state inspections department reminds the public that their reports are a “snapshot” in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment.

For a more complete list of all inspections, along with additional details on each of the inspections listed below, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing website.

Suarez Bakery, 708 14th St., Sioux City – During a Dec. 28th visit, a Siouxland District Health inspector cited the establishment with nine violations. The inspector found live insects on a sticky trap in the food prep area; wiping cloths were stored on counters throughout the facility; flour was stored on the floor in the prep area; and oats were stored on the floor in the register area. The inspector observed that several sinks did not contain handwashing cleansers for employees, which is required. Neither did they contain something for drying the hands. Also, the handwashing sink did not have hot water.

Raw shell eggs were stored above cooked ready-to-eat foods. Sugar was stored in a container without a lid which would have prevented environmental contamination. Food items in a display cooler were not date-marked after being held for over 24 hours.

The inspector also observed that the baking trays were not clean to sight or touch. The bakery had no bleach-water mix for sanitizing non-potentially hazardous food items.

Olivia’s Bakery, Inc., 323 Main Ave., Sioux Center – During a Nov. 30 visit to this bakery, a Siouxland District Health inspector found seven violations including the presence and use of Raid brand insect control products in the establishment.

The inspector noted the facility does not have an active food protection manager as required by code. Also noted was that the facility did not have an established procedure for responding to vomiting and diarrhea events. Along the same lines, the inspector commented the bakery employees did not have a verifiable manner of their responsibility to report illness or disease. According to the state health code, food employees and conditional employees are to be informed in a verifiable manner of their responsibility to report under law, to the person in charge, information about their health and activities as they relate to diseases that are transmissible through food.

The inspector observed that cakes in a display cooler were not covered and containers throughout the facility did not have lids to prevent environmental contamination. Cheesecake, yogurt products and tamales in the display cooler were not date-marked.  

Canned goods had been stored next to bleach in downstairs storage, but that was corrected by the owner moving canned goods to a different area.

Ichiban Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar, 4567 Southern Hills Dr., Sioux City – A Siouxland District Health inspector observed five health risk factor violations during a routine visit on Nov. 28. While not an unusually high number of violations, it marks the fifth straight routine inspection the establishment had from two to six health violations since March 12, 2021. That doesn’t include two letters of correction and two physical visits by a health inspector for a recheck.

This time the inspector noted that the facility’s food protection manager’s certificate had expired. They also observed that the homemade dressing wasn’t date-marked and the dishwashing machine was not sanitizing dishes by evidence of the test strip not turning black when it was run through the dish machine.

It was noted that the door to the cooler for side preps was left open and all the food in the unit was 44 degrees F. Potentially hazardous foods/time-temperature control safety foods are to be stored at 41 degrees or cooler.

Finally, the inspector observed that the ice machine was not clean to the sight, marking the fifth straight time the device has failed inspection due to uncleanliness.

Qanazegelila Bar & Restaurant, 1800 Pierce St., Sioux City – On Nov. 17 an inspector from Siouxland District Health observed six violations of the state health code at this establishment. It was noted that cooked sauces and meats were not dated, but the staff did date them during the inspection. The inspector was unable to verify the source of raw beef in the freezer.

According to her notes, during the inspection, she stated she was unable to verify the source of the raw beef product in the large deep freezer chest. All product was bagged in ziploc bags.
The owner provided an invoice from India Market (3720 32nd St. Omaha, NE) with a description of one custom item at $2,250.00. Through discussion with the owner, he reports he found the establishment from another local business owner. The local business owner contacted the market and personally ordered one whole cow for pick up the following business day. The owner stated he was instructed to bring his own containers to transport the meat. He states upon arrival the meat was unpackaged and unlabeled; he loaded raw, refrigerated meat into buckets. There was no identifying information or mark of inspection or packaging at the retail level. The inspector said she contacted IDALS and was instructed to embargo the product until further notice.

A sauce used for dipping bread was made by a friend of the owner in his private home, which is prohibited. The owner removed the sauce during the inspection. Cooked butter was observed to be stored at room temperature; temped at 69 degrees. Raw cubed beef was noted as stored at room temperature; and temped at 69 degrees. Staff voluntarily discarded during inspection.

The inspector observed that the mechanical dish machine measured at 0 ppm. The dishwasher was not capable of having effective chemical sanitation – temp, pH, concentration and hardness The establishment did not have a three-compartment sink. Staff will wash the prep sink and use it for sanitizing.  The hand sink had a pot in the basin of the sink. Staff removed during the inspection and cleaned.

Trattoria Fresco, 511 4th St., Sioux City – An inspector from Siouxland District Health observed on Dec. 15 some foodborne illness risk factors at this establishment. They included not having a certified food protection manager employed there and selling steaks off the menu, that is not listing steaks as menu items but selling them anyway. She also found the restaurant needs to post a consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.

The inspector also noted the business was lacking in good preventative measures to control the addition of pathogens, chemicals, and physical objects into foods. The inspector wrote that foods are cooled in a large/deep pot in ice. She discussed cooling in smaller portions in ice with the owner.

It was also pointed out that the exterior of the cooler doors and the ice machine were visibly soiled to sight and touch. The exteriors of food containers were visibly soiled with food. Furthermore, the inspector noted, that floors and shelves are visibly soiled with dirt and food debris. Lastly, the flooring in the back ware washing room is damaged.

El Herradero, 1014 Nebraska St., Sioux City– On Dec. 28 a Siouxland District Health inspector made a routine inspection of the establishment. He observed flying insects in the bar and kitchen, that the cutting board in the bar was not clean to the touch or sight, and that food was being stored on the counter overnight instead of in the fridge.

It was also noted there was no verifiable manner for reporting employee health or illness. The establishment did not have a procedure for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events. The bar and kitchen hand washing sink did not have hand cleanser, nor did the sink contain disposable hand towels. Wiping cloths were stored on the counter throughout the kitchen and bar.

The inspector noted that items in the larger cooler were not date-marked and were held longer than 24 hours. Containers in the larger cooler weren’t labeled with a common name. Beans stored in the larger cooler were held longer than seven days, but that was corrected by the person in charge who discarded them while the inspector was present.

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