Routine
Oct 1, 2026
Official score: 62 · Understand this area’s scale
19 recorded violations
Official wording
Make sure all ready-to-eat foods and garnishes are not touched with bare hands.
Inspector’s notes
Observed barehand contact with ready-to-eat raw cucumber while cutting. Informed the PIC and the employee donned gloves before continuing task. Ensure ready-to-eat foods are not touched with bare hands.
In plain English
Staff were not washing their hands when required, or a handwashing sink was blocked, missing soap or paper towels, or used for something else. Hands are one of the most common ways germs reach food.
More about handwashing problemsOfficial wording
Discontinue the use of a food preparation sink for anything other than food preparation.
Inspector’s notes
Observed use of the 2-compartment food prep sink for dishwashing. Discontinue dishwashing in the prep sink and wash dishes in the 3-compartment sink.
In plain English
An issue that does not fit the common categories. Check the official wording for details.
More about other findingOfficial wording
Keep handwashing sinks accessible at all times. Make sure they are only used for handwashing.
Inspector’s notes
Observed the handwash sink being used for dumping at the server station, with dishes inside of it. There are two sinks in the server station, ensure that the hand sink is always accessible and is not used for anything besides handwashing. Use the other sink for dumping or rinsing.
In plain English
Staff were not washing their hands when required, or a handwashing sink was blocked, missing soap or paper towels, or used for something else. Hands are one of the most common ways germs reach food.
More about handwashing problemsOfficial wording
Use an effective method to date mark refrigerated, ready-to-eat, TCS food prepared and held for more than 24 hours. Day one is the day the food was made.
Inspector’s notes
In the walk-in cooler, observed large containers of sauce without datemarking. When TCS food will be held for longer than 24 hours, ensure to mark the container with the date.
In plain English
Food came from an unapproved source, was missing required date marks or labels, or was past its use-by date. Knowing where food came from and how old it is helps prevent illness.
More about food source, dating, or labeling problemsOfficial wording
Store all food: • In a clean, dry location • At least 6 inches above the floor
Inspector’s notes
In the walk-in freezer, observed food being stored on the floor. Store all food on shelves at least 6 inches above the floor.
In plain English
Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.
More about cleaning or sanitizing problemsOfficial wording
Remove single-service and single-use articles made from materials that are unsafe and unclean.
Inspector’s notes
In the walk-in freezer, taro root and meat were being stored in plastic grocery bags. Use food grade plastic bags instead and discontinue using plastic grocery bags that are in direct contact with the food.
In plain English
Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.
More about cleaning or sanitizing problemsOfficial wording
Wiping cloths used for wiping surfaces must: • Be held in an approved sanitizing solution • Laundered daily
Inspector’s notes
Observed wiping clothes stored outside of wiping buckets, such as on a cutting board or hanging on the side of the wiping bucket. Ensure wiping cloths are stored fully submerged inside of the bucket with an appropriate concentration of sanitizer to keep the wiping cloth disinfected.
In plain English
Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.
More about cleaning or sanitizing problemsOfficial wording
Provide chemical sanitizers to sanitize equipment and utensils during all hours of operation.
Inspector’s notes
No chlorine or any chemical sanitizer was available onsite at time of inspection. PIC sent someone to the store to obtain chlorine bleach as soon as possible. Keep food-safe approved chlorine bleach onsite for wiping buckets, spray bottles, and 3-compartment sink to properly disinfect food contact surfaces and utensils.
In plain English
Cleaning products, pesticides, or other chemicals were stored or labeled in a way that could let them get into food. This is serious because chemical contamination can make people sick quickly.
More about chemicals stored or used unsafelyOfficial wording
Have a test kit for the type of sanitizer used.
Inspector’s notes
Upon request, test kit for sanitizer (chlorine bleach) was not available onsite. A chlorine test kit was provided during inspection for immediate use. Keep chlorine test strips available onsite at all times to ensure concentration of sanitizer will properly kill bacteria.
In plain English
Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.
More about cleaning or sanitizing problemsOfficial wording
Discontinue using wood and wood wicker as a food contact surface.
Inspector’s notes
Observed a large wooden paddle stored on the wall, PIC indicated it is used to stir a deep pot because it can reach the bottom. Wood cannot be used as a food-contact surface/utensil. Discontinue using the wooden paddle, replace with a metal / stainless-steel utensil.
In plain English
Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.
More about cleaning or sanitizing problemsOfficial wording
Have a thin-tipped food thermometer easily available to measure the internal temperature of thin pieces of food.
Inspector’s notes
There was no thin-tip food thermometer onsite. Obtain a thin-tip food thermometer in order to ensure food is cooked and stored at the proper temperature.
In plain English
Food was not kept cold enough, hot enough, cooled fast enough, or cooked or reheated to the right temperature. Bacteria grow quickly in the "danger zone" between 41°F and 135°F, which makes this one of the most important food-safety checks.
More about food kept at an unsafe temperatureOfficial wording
Post the Certified Food Protection Manager certificate.
Inspector’s notes
Upon request, the Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) license was available via photo from PIC's phone. Post a physical copy of the CFPM license onsite.
In plain English
A required permit, food safety certificate, trained manager, or posted sign was missing or not current. These show the business is following the rules and has trained staff.
More about paperwork, training, or posting issuesOfficial wording
Clean food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils used for TCS foods at least every four hours.
Inspector’s notes
The meat slicer is currently cleaned with soap and water once a day, with some parts being sent through the dishwasher. Discussed cleaning techniques for the clean-in-place aspect as well as best practices, like posting the cleaning schedule or reminders on the wall above the meat slicer. Ensure that food contact surfaces, like the meat slicer, are washed, rinsed, and sanitized at least every 4 hours.
In plain English
Dishes, equipment, or surfaces that touch food were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized, or sanitizer was not at the right strength. Clean surfaces help stop germs from spreading to food.
More about cleaning or sanitizing problemsOfficial wording
Maintain all hot, TCS foods at 135 degrees F or hotter. (Roast beef may be held at 130 degrees F or hotter, if it is cooked according to Part 4626.0340 item B or reheated according to Part 4626.0360, item E.)
Inspector’s notes
A) Observed improper hot holding temperatures at the buffet line. 1. Fried chicken at 115F 2. Fried shrimp at 105F 3. Chicken skewer at 78F 4. Egg roll at 114F 5. Fried spring roll at 98F 6. Chicken nugget at 104F The temperature of the hot hold unit was increased. Find the setting on the dial that will keep food at 135 degrees or hotter and monitor temperatures with a food thermometer to ensure food isn't in the temperature danger zone. B) Next to the buffet line, there were two hot hold pots with ground beef (110F) and spicy ground beef (127F). Both were brought back to the kitchen and reheated (198F) and placed back into hot hold, which had been turned up. Keep hot foods hot; maintain hot TCS foods at a temperature of 135F or hotter.
In plain English
Food was not kept cold enough, hot enough, cooled fast enough, or cooked or reheated to the right temperature. Bacteria grow quickly in the "danger zone" between 41°F and 135°F, which makes this one of the most important food-safety checks.
More about food kept at an unsafe temperatureOfficial wording
Keep all cold TCS foods at 41 degrees F or colder under mechanical refrigeration.
Inspector’s notes
1) Raw tofu (45F) and cooked taro root were being stored on a shelf, not under mechanical refrigeration. Cold TCS foods on the shelf were moved to a cooler, and PIC indicated that the shelf was going to be replaced with a new prep cooler in a few days. 2) At the buffet line, observed squeeze bottles of ranch and ketchup (50F) being kept on the table, not under mechanical refrigeration. PIC found a spot in the prep cooler to keep the sauces in. 3) Kimchi in the buffet line (44F) and kimchi in prep cooler #3 near the stock pots (42F) were above 41F. Keep cold TCS foods under mechanical refrigeration at 41F or colder.
In plain English
Food was not kept cold enough, hot enough, cooled fast enough, or cooked or reheated to the right temperature. Bacteria grow quickly in the "danger zone" between 41°F and 135°F, which makes this one of the most important food-safety checks.
More about food kept at an unsafe temperatureOfficial wording
The person in charge must be able to explain: • Their responsibility for preventing the spread of foodborne illness by a food worker • The symptoms associated with a foodborne illness • How food workers must report illness symptoms and diseases • When a food worker must be excluded from work or restricted from working with food • When a food worker can return to work
Inspector’s notes
PIC thought an employee ill with vomiting or diarrhea must be sent to a doctor or stay out of work for a week. The rule is that the employee must stay out of work until they have had no vomiting or diarrhea symptoms for at least 24 hours. Train all managers accordingly.
In plain English
A required permit, food safety certificate, trained manager, or posted sign was missing or not current. These show the business is following the rules and has trained staff.
More about paperwork, training, or posting issuesOfficial wording
The person in charge must notify the regulatory authority of any complaint from a consumer having or suspected of having diarrhea or vomiting, norovirus, hepatitis A virus, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, or other enteric bacterial, viral, or parasitic pathogens.
Inspector’s notes
PIC did not know that any customer complaint of illness (vomiting or diarrhea) – even a single complaint - must be reported to the Minnesota Department of Health at 1-877-FOOD-ILL or https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/foodborne/reporting.html. Train all managers accordingly.
In plain English
A required permit, food safety certificate, trained manager, or posted sign was missing or not current. These show the business is following the rules and has trained staff.
More about paperwork, training, or posting issuesOfficial wording
The person in charge must be able to demonstrate their knowledge to the inspector of the importance of the following food handling procedures to preventing foodborne disease: handwashing; avoiding cross contamination; avoiding hand contact with ready-to-eat foods; time and temperature requirements for safely refrigerating, hot holding, cooling, and reheating TCS food; hazards of eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, and fish; food temperatures and cooking times required to safely cook TCS food including meat, poultry, eggs, and fish; foods identified as major food allergens and the symptoms of an allergic reaction; identification of critical control points in a food service operation and steps to be taken to ensure the points are controlled.
Inspector’s notes
PIC did not know several important food safety standards, such as preventing bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods (like cucumbers), the required cold holding temperature of 41F or below and the required hot holding temperature of 135F or above.
In plain English
Staff were not washing their hands when required, or a handwashing sink was blocked, missing soap or paper towels, or used for something else. Hands are one of the most common ways germs reach food.
More about handwashing problemsOfficial wording
Clearly label working containers of toxic chemicals with the common chemical name.
Inspector’s notes
Observed a spray bottle near the meat slicer with a blue/green liquid inside that wasn't labelled. PIC indicated that it was water and soap. Label all chemical containers with the contents.
In plain English
Cleaning products, pesticides, or other chemicals were stored or labeled in a way that could let them get into food. This is serious because chemical contamination can make people sick quickly.
More about chemicals stored or used unsafelyOfficial record from Minneapolis Health Department, Oct 1, 2026 · Original Source