Topeka food inspections find mouse poop in school kitchen and other violations

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• Seven Topeka food and lodging establishments were issued notices of noncompliance with Kansas law after inspections in February.
• Violations included mice droppings, improper food temperatures, and a lack of hot water.
• Most establishments came back into compliance after follow-up inspections.

Fresh mouse poop in a school kitchen and a bucket catching wastewater at an Italian restaurant were among the violations that food safety inspectors cited at Topeka establishments last month.

Kansas law delegates to the Kansas Department of Agriculture the authority to regulate food establishments, food processing plants and lodging establishments. Violations — particularly priority violations directly linked to causes of foodborne illness — can lead to various consequences, including the immediate closure of an establishment.

Kansas Department of Agriculture records show that while most of the 76 total Topeka area service establishments inspected in February passed with either no violations or no serious ones, several failed. Most inspections were routine, but inspectors also visited after complaints, for licensing, follow-ups and other reasons.

Out-of-compliance food and lodging establishments in Topeka

The following seven establishments were issued notices of noncompliance with Kansas law after inspections in February.

• Cair Paravel Latin School, 635 S.W. Clay St.

The Feb. 28 routine inspection found two violations. Both were because the kitchen closet area had “50+ fresh and old mice droppings on the floor.” The inspector reported educating the person in charge that when mouse poop isn’t cleaned up, it can lead to other pests.

The school was back in compliance after a March 12 follow-up inspection.

• Chase Middle School / State Street Elementary, 2250 N.E. State St.

A Feb. 27 routine inspection found two violations.

At Chase, there were 46 cartons of orange juice in the serving line with a temperature of 68 degrees, despite the cartons saying they needed to be kept refrigerated, which means 41 degrees or below. Chase also had a leaking pressure valve at the mop sink, which could allow contaminated water into the whole water system.

The school was back in compliance after a March 12 follow-up inspection.

• Tiki Taco Shack, 5959 S.W. 29th St.

A Feb. 26 routine inspection found two violations.

A handwashing sink in the front make area was not working. The person in charge told the inspector that “an employee sat on the hand washing sink, cause it to break off the wall and water leaks on the floor when the water is turned on.”

The mop sink hose was laying in the bottom of the basin, when it should either be hanging up or cut to hang just above the flood rim.

The establishment was back in compliance after a March 10 follow-up inspection.

• La Unica Super Market, 1706 S.E. Sixth Ave.

A Feb. 14 routine inspection found three violations.

Behind the counter, there were 61 packages of medications and vitamins that were in Spanish. The inspector embargoed the products because to sell the items, they must also have English instructions. The person in charge planned to get stickers with English to put on the products.

A shelf had four metal pans stacked together that were supposed to be clean, but all four had visible caked-on food. In the back room where tortillas are made, the handwashing sink had no hand soap in the dispenser.

The establishment was back in compliance after a Feb. 28 follow-up inspection.

• Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, 1925 S.W. Wanamaker Road.

The Feb. 21 complaint inspection found six violations.

There was an imminent health hazard of no hot water, but the restaurant did not cease operations or use a temporary handwashing setup and notify the state. A temporary solution was to set up a jug of hot water for handwashing, while a high-temperature machine dish washer would wash dishes.

The sinks for washing dishes did not have hot water. Neither did handwashing sinks in the kitchen and at the bar. The person in charge said they had noticed the hot water issue the day before and placed a call for service.

The mop sink’s backflow prevention device had a leak. A floor drain in the bar area was clogged. One handwashing sink did not have its wastewater pipe attached, and instead had “a bucket catching the waste water.”

A container of a creamy sauce in the walk-in cooler did not have a date mark. A clear spray bottle was not labeled.

The establishment was back in compliance after a March 6 follow-up inspection.

• Forbes Golf Course, 700 S.W. Capehart Road.

A Feb. 10 routine inspection found three violations.

Cabinets at the cooking line had “40+ fresh mice droppings,” while the back storeroom had “50+ old and fresh mice droppings along the base boards.” The kitchen did not have a food thermometer.

The establishment was back in compliance after a Feb. 24 follow-up inspection.

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 601 N.W. US-24 highway.

A Feb. 7 lodging inspection, following up on a Jan. 24 complaint inspection, found five violations.

One room’s hearing impaired flashing strobe for the smoke detector was not working. Multiple emergency lights were not working. Secondary locks in two rooms were not working.

The facility was not washing, rinsing and sanitizing ice buckets after each guest as required. Multiple rooms had electrical outlets near water sources that were not GFCI.

A follow-up inspection was scheduled for April 7.

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.