WOODBRIDGE — A school and an assisted living facility are shortlisted for local agencies to undergo food safety re-inspection or follow-up this year, according to the Quinnipiac Valley Health District.
Of the roughly two dozen food service establishments in Woodbridge, three were cited for food temperature violations, requiring them to be re-inspected, records show. All three establishments had refrigeration issues that caused food temperatures to rise to unsafe levels, according to inspection reports.
However, several Woodbridge businesses have yet to undergo food safety inspections in 2022. These include Coachman Square in Woodbridge, Woodbridge Gas LLC, Starbucks, Chip in a Bottle and Solun.
“We’re a little bit behind, most health departments are behind,” said QVHD hygienist John Laudano. “There is a huge backlog of restaurants to inspect.”
The total number of food service establishments in town includes quick service and dine-in restaurants, delicatessens, schools, grocery stores, and convenience stores. The recommended frequency of inspections typically ranges from 1 to 3 per year, depending on the type of business.
Businesses are awarded a maximum of 100 points during the inspection. Each question listed in the inspection report is assigned a specific point value. To comply with food safety regulations and avoid re-inspection, businesses must meet two main requirements: they must earn a score of 80 or higher, and must not have any violations of 4 points that pose the highest threat to food safety.
Alexis Rinaldi, a sanitation officer at QVHD for 22 years, said the most common 4-point violations occur when businesses use unlabeled toxic chemicals. But such violations are easy to fix — “you can correct them immediately,” she said.
Throughout her time at the health department, Rinaldi could only think of one facility in Woodbridge being forced to close for violating health protocols. She said the site had sewage overflowing into the car park and needed repairs to the septic system before reopening.
Food businesses in Woodbridge are generally careful to follow food safety regulations, Rinaldi said. If there is indeed a 4-point violation, the owner or supervisor will be “very sensitive … because it’s a reflection of them addressing the issue,” she added.
Below are Woodbridge food service establishments that will need to re-inspect or take another form of follow-up in 2022.
Beecher Road School, 40 Beecher Road
Beecher Road School was penalized for overheating food during two separate health inspections this year. Records show the elementary school was rated 95 in May and 94 in September, but had four points deducted both times for failing to comply.
According to the inspection report, several items in the walk-in cooler in the school cafeteria kitchen exceeded the 41-degree limit. Records show a cheese sample measured 44 degrees during an inspection in May. Cases of chocolate milk and tartar sauce reportedly hit 42 degrees in September.
“Beecher Road School passed two inspections with a score of 90 and any violations found were Correct it in time.”
Laudano, the health worker who carried out both inspections, said the school’s walk-in cooler had trouble keeping it cold because it had “a lot of people coming in and out.”
After the September inspection, Laudano said he asked Beecher Road School’s food service staff to keep temperature records to ensure equipment was functioning properly. He added that the school has since started keeping logs and having a technician work on the refrigerator.
When foodservice establishments fail to comply during reinspections, state Department of Public Health regulations say, The local health district must “take immediate steps” to shut it down. But closing businesses is not always feasible, Laudano said.
“The idea of closing a place, especially a school, in food service is very difficult,” he said. “Our goal is to get a remedy and make sure this doesn’t happen again while we’re gone.”
Woodbridge Lyndon Hotel, 330 Friendly Road
Linden in Woodbridge, an assisted living facility, scored an overall 91 points on its health inspection in July but was deducted four points for a cooler fault that caused food to be stored at improper temperatures, records show.
According to Linden’s inspection report, there were two items in the cooler that were over 41 degrees: a cream cake at 49 degrees and salad dressing at 45 degrees. In his report, Rinaldi noted that Linden’s two-door cooler “needed repairs.”
Linda Garcia, Linden’s general manager, said food service employees voluntarily discarded the contents of the coolers after learning they were too hot. The cooler used to store desserts and condiments was repaired and put back into service about a week later.
“Unfortunately, any piece of machinery can fail,” Garcia said.
Linden had two weeks to fix the violation before being re-inspected, records show. But the follow-up never happened, which Rinaldi said may have been due to oversight.
Linden notified the health department after the cooler was repaired, according to Garcia.
“We let them know,” Garcia said. “I think they have a certain level of confidence that we’re following things up. We keep a copy of the maintenance records that they can use next time they come.”
Blue Check Deli, 382 Youshan Road
The Blue Check Deli received four deductions, out of a total of 84 points, for improper food temperature during its initial inspection in June. According to inspection reports, several items in a Bain-Marie cooler at one of the delis showed temperatures above the 41-degree limit.
Slices of cheese were 43 degrees, cold cuts were 45 degrees and a piece of chicken and hamburgers were 54 degrees, the report said. The report also mentioned that the thermometer for the cooler was broken.
Rinaldi, a hygienist who inspected the Blue Check Deli, said the food may have been too hot because the cooler was located near the grill in the restaurant. To keep food fresh, refrigeration needs to keep temperatures around 37 degrees, Rinaldi said. The deli cooler reportedly measured 44 degrees.
“It’s not something unusual that we’re seeing,” Rinaldi said. “That’s why we insisted on putting a thermometer inside the cooler so you can see what’s going on inside.”
Melissa Lambrecht, who co-owns Blue Check Deli with her husband Tom Lambrecht, said the rise in temperature was caused by employees frequently opening the door to the freezer during the busy lunch rush when retrieving food for preparation.
“We’re such a successful business that there’s usually a long line outside the door, and the cold escapes when you open a bain-marie 20 times in half an hour, putting food in and out on the grill,” Melissa said. “So when the inspectors come in at 11.30am it’s the lunch rush … yes, it’s probably seven or eight degrees warmer than (the inspectors) want to see.”
Melissa Lambrecht said when Rinaldi returned two weeks later to re-inspect the deli, the temperature of the food in the freezer was found to be “accurate” and the damaged thermometer had been replaced. For the record, Blue Check Deli scored a 97 on the follow-up test.
Blue Check Deli has been a community benefactor throughout its 10 year history, They help raise money for various sports clubs at Amity Regional High School and support local Boy Scouts with their Christmas tree and wreath sales, Tom Lambrecht said. The company is also providing free coffee to police officers and other first responders, he added.
“Our room is packed with police every morning,” Melissa Lambrecht said. “It’s a very busy industry and it’s doing well.”
austin.mirmina@hearstmediact.com
