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.
Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
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.
Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
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.
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.
Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
In plain English
Floors, walls, ceilings, lighting, ventilation, or garbage areas needed repair or cleaning. These are usually less urgent than food-handling problems but still need to be fixed.
Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
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.
Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
In plain English
The business had issues with hot or cold running water, plumbing, drains, backflow prevention, or sewage disposal. Some of these, like no hot water, can force a temporary closure until fixed.