RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A total of 13 Riverside County eateries shuttered temporarily over the past week as they dealt with improper food storage temperatures, cockroach infestations, and other health issues, according to the County of Riverside Department of Environmental Health’s most recent report.
Health officials zeroed in on street vendors this week as the fair weather draws diners outdoors. They examined taco and hot dog carts for protection against flies and for adequate access to hot water and hand washing.
The department watches these and all other potential health issues, according to Program Chief Kristin Lorge.
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Restaurants are inspected by the agency through unannounced visits and are either awarded or dinged with inspection grades ranging from “A” to “C.” Restaurants that fail to meet standards receive lower grades of “B” or “C” and can be closed temporarily before being re-inspected. If you see your favorite eatery on the list, the county health department closed the restaurant until it cleaned up its act.
In most cases, restaurants return to compliance within a day or two. Still, others must prove that pest control and plumbing issues will not reoccur to stay open.
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Here are the Riverside County food establishments that closed temporarily to deal with minor and major violations May 17 through May 25, according to the Environmental Health Agency.
Jurupa Valley’s Big League Dream Jurupa Concession at 10550 Cantu Galleano Ranch Street was closed May 23 due to a lack of hot water at the facility. It reopened on May 25 after that issue was fixed, according to the inspector’s report.
Six food vending cart operations were closed in the city of Riverside On the evening of May 19.
Here are the details:
Four carts were taco stands operating without proper handwashing stations, refrigeration to store food at safe temperatures, and barriers to protect against dirt or insects, according to inspectors. All lacked the proper Environmental Health permits to operate. They were located at:
Two hot dog carts on University Avenue were also closed due to a lack of proper handwashing stations, inadequate equipment to maintain food temperatures, a lack of restrooms for the employees, the inability to wash utensils, and for keeping open foods with no barriers to protect from contamination by dirt and insects, according to investigators. They were also cited for not having Environmental Health permits to operate. They were located at:
Six food vending operations were closed in the city of Palm Springs on the evening of May 20.
Here are the details:
Two shaved ice vendors, a tejuino vendor, two taco stands and a hotdog vending cart were shut down due to health infractions on May 20.
Inspectors closed the shave ice stands, situated near the corner of San Luis Rey Drive and East Camino Parocela, for operating without soap or hot water for handwashing, according to the health department. No restroom was provided for the employees, and they lacked the ability to wash their utensils, inspectors noted. Both lacked an Environmental Health permit to operate.
The Tacos Los Olivarez taco stand, adjacent to a shaved ice stands, was also closed due to inadequate food protection from contamination. It lacked a proper handwashing station and restroom facilities, according to an inspector.
“The operation did not have adequate equipment to maintain potentially hazardous food in temperature properly,” the investigator wrote, noting multiple food items (salsa, carne asada, raw meat) with potentially hazardous internal temperatures. “Flies were observed contaminating the food, and the vertical broiler was observed to be located underneath a tree.”
The inspector noted a lack of overhead protection for food containers and the vertical rotisserie. The vendor was also operating without an Environmental Health permit, according to the food safety inspector.
Another taco stand (Taqueria Cesar Y Genesis) was closed for similar reasons, as was a tejuino beverage cart, investigators said.
Finally, a hot dog cart at the corner of East Arenas Road and South Calle Encilia was closed due to a lack of soap or hot water for washing hands and utensils and for not having a restroom for employees, according to the inspector. It also did not have a health permit to operate.
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