Summit County restaurant inspections: Which places had the most violations in January?

Summit County Public Health inspected hundreds of food-serving facilities in January, including restaurants, nursing homes, grocery stores and gas stations, according to health data obtained by an Akron Beacon Journal database.

Food establishments are inspected one to four times per year, depending on the likelihood of a foodborne illness. Inspectors determine whether or not these establishments are compliant with the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code, which ensures food is safe for public consumption.

Establishments with multiple uncorrected violations can have their licenses revoked or suspended, or in a severe case, the establishment could be forced to permanently close.

Which Summit County establishments had the most critical violations in January?

• Tong Tong, 1646 Norton Road, Stow: Inspectors found 11 critical violations including employees dealing with food not washing hands when required (observed employee cracking raw egg and not washing hands afterward), handwashing sink being used for other purposes, handwashing sink not being fully accessible at all times (corrected during inspection) and food not properly protected from contamination by separation, packaging and segregation.
• Acme Fresh Market, 2420 Wedgewood Drive, Akron: Inspectors found eight critical violations including multiple instances of food not properly protected from contamination by separation, packaging and segregation (corrected during inspection), food not being held at the proper cold or hot temperatures (corrected during inspection) and the selling of expired baby food (corrected during inspection).
• Phoenix Express, 3063 Graham Road, Stow: Inspectors found seven critical violations including a handwashing sink not being fully accessible at all times, observed back hand sink with container of broth cooling on top of it (corrected during inspection) and food not properly protected from contamination by separation, packaging and segregation (corrected during inspection).
• Casa Nueva Restaurante, 4525 Kent Road, Stow: Inspectors found eight critical violations including food not being cold held at the proper temperature (corrected during inspection), refrigerated ready-to-eat foods not being properly dated (corrected during inspection) and consumers not being properly advised of the risk of eating raw or undercooked animal foods.
• The Barrelhouse, 1682 W Market Street, Akron: Inspectors found seven critical violations including a handwashing sink not being fully accessible at all times, food-contact surfaces not being cleaned at the required frequency and food not being held at the proper cold temperatures.
• Romeo’s Pizza, 134 E Aurora Road, Northfield: Inspectors found seven critical violations including the improper labeling of poisonous/toxic materials (corrected during inspection), unclean food-contact surfaces and utensils (corrected during inspection) and refrigerated ready-to-eat foods not being properly dated.
• Los Girasoles, 4161 Steels Pointe Drive Suite 500, Stow: Inspectors found seven critical violations including unclean food-contact surfaces and utensils, the improper labeling of poisonous/toxic materials (corrected during inspection) and foods not being held at the proper hot temperatures (corrected during inspection).
• Little Caesars, 1260 Copley Road, Akron: Inspectors found seven critical violations including a handwashing sink not being fully accessible at all times, observed a handwashing station in the pizza preparation area had been used as a water source during pizza preparation and food-contact surfaces or utensils not being cleaned (corrected during inspection).

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What are the types of violations?

There are two types of violations health inspectors look for: critical and non-critical violations.

Critical violations are those violations that, if left uncorrected, are “more likely to contribute to food contamination or illness,” according to the Summit County Health Department. Examples of critical violations include the improper cooking, reheating or refrigeration of food items.

Non-critical violations are not directly related to foodborne illnesses, but they could still impact the restaurant and lead to critical violations if not corrected. Examples include a lack of facility cleanliness and maintenance.

What types of inspections are there?

The following are the four types of inspections, according to Summit County Public Health:

• Standard: This inspection is unannounced to the restaurant. An inspector will conduct a complete inspection covering all items in the regulations for compliance.
• Critical Control Point (CCP): These inspections can be scheduled or unannounced. The inspector spends time discussing the facility’s food processes and educates the facility on proper procedures.
• Follow-up Inspection: This is an inspection for the specific purpose of re-inspecting items that were not in compliance at the time of the standard inspection. These inspections are scheduled.
• Complaint: This is an unannounced inspection conducted as a result of a complaint received by the health department. The specifics of the complaint will be evaluated and discussed with the person in charge.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @athompsonABJ