Restaurant Inspections in El Paso: What You Should Know
Inspections are conducted in the City of El Paso, Anthony, Clint, Horizon City, Socorro, Vinton and El Paso County.
El Paso health inspectors cited two restaurants for more than 30 health code violations from August 5 to 9. The violations ranged from improper handwashing and the presence of flies and mosquitoes in the kitchen area to broken dishes and melted utensils during food preparation.
A score of 70 or higher is a passing score. A score of 60 or less will result in closure of the facility.
An inspection conducted on a given day may not reflect the overall, long-term health of the establishment. Restaurants that fail the inspection will be given the opportunity to correct the violations upon re-inspection.
Restaurants charged with violations
Location of Pho Tren Bien Cafe.
El Portal Del CIRO’S Mexican and Seafood Location
20 violations, Pho Tren Bien Cafe, 12302 Montana Ave.
The following inspection was conducted on August 7 and the restaurant received an inspection score of 63.
- Temperature control for safety reasons: Food must be cold, maximum 41 degrees. Note: Whipped cream and dairy products in the refrigerator were 46 degrees cold.
- Ice in the ice machine and ice container was contaminated by employees – an employee contaminated food with his bare hands.
- Surfaces that come into contact with food must be visually and tactilely clean. Note: The ice cream maker is extremely dirty, the microwave is dirty, and the can opener blade and cutting boards are dirty.
- Food workers are required by law to wash their hands. Note: An employee touched food with bare hands and drank in the kitchen without washing hands afterward. This has been corrected.
- Employees must avoid contact with exposed, ready-to-eat food with bare hands. Note: An employee ate food with bare hands. Employees must use utensils or other methods to avoid contact with exposed food.
- Bottles containing toxic substances must be labeled with the common name of the substance. Note: Several bottles of degreasers in the kitchen were not labeled. This has been corrected.
- At least one person must obtain a Certified Food Protection Management certificate within 10 days.
- All food workers must obtain or renew expired food management certificates within 30 days.
- Ready-to-eat TCS foods that are kept refrigerated must have a best before date. Note: Cooked shrimp and other foods had no best before date. This has been corrected.
- Handwashing stations must be accessible and provide disposable towels and soap. The handwashing station next to the three-compartment sink was blocked by objects and another handwashing station was missing disposable towels. This has been corrected.
- Surfaces that come into contact with food must be in good condition. Note: Some plates were cracked and cutlery was melted.
- Flies and mosquitoes must be eliminated.
- Employees must eat and drink in designated areas. Note: Employees were eating and drinking in the kitchen with food exposed. This has been corrected.
- Wipes must be stored in disinfection buckets when not in use.
- Food must be stored above the floor. Boxes in the walk-in cooler were stored on the floor.
- Loose foods must be labelled with the common name of the food (ingredient).
- The interior of the appliance and the extractor hood filters must be cleaned.
- Burnt out bulbs under the hood need to be replaced.
- The physical facilities must be cleaned as often as necessary. Floors, walls and ceilings were dirty everywhere.
- The health permit and the Food Protection Management Certificate must be displayed.
Note: The restaurant was inspected again on August 7 and received an inspection score of 89.
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15 violations, Pho Tren Bien Cafe, 12302 Montana Ave.
The following inspection was conducted on August 7 and the restaurant received an inspection score of 63.
- Chile Rellenos were not properly refrigerated.
- I discovered a cracked, raw egg in the shell in the walk-in refrigerator. It must be disposed of. All food must be in good condition.
- When working with open food, washing hands for 20 seconds is required, including exposed areas of the arms. This applies when changing gloves, putting on new gloves or changing work functions (e.g. from handling money to working with open food).
- An unlabeled plastic spray bottle of surface cleaner was discovered in the front counter area. All chemical bottles must be properly labeled and stored to prevent potential cross-contamination of exposed food, utensils, dishes, equipment and disposables.
- Two employees were found to have expired food handling certifications. All missing or expired food handling certifications must be renewed and made available and accessible within two weeks.
- Proper refrigeration is required. Example: Cooling Time/Temperature Control for Safe Food (TCS) from 135 degrees to 70 degrees within 2 hours, continuing to 70 degrees to 41 degrees within the next four hours, with total cooling time not to exceed six hours. Food must be discarded if refrigeration temperature requirements are not met within this time period. Recommended written temperature records confirm proper refrigeration and methods, such as using ice, smaller containers, etc. Refrigeration methods include:
- Placing food in shallow pans
- Dividing food into smaller or thinner portions
- Use of rapid cooling devices
- Stirring food in a container in an ice water bath
- Use of containers that facilitate heat transfer
- Add ice as an ingredient
- Other effective methods
- All opened pre-packaged TCS foods, prepared TCS foods and prepared ready-to-eat (RTE) foods stored in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours must be properly labelled and dated and must not exceed the maximum storage time in the refrigerator. This also applies to prepared foods in the refrigerated section of refrigerators with preparation tables (prep tables) and refrigerated units in kitchen areas.
- Chemical test strips for specific disinfectants used in the three-chamber sink (e.g. chemical test strips for chlorine, chemical test strips for quaternary ammonium, iodine, etc.) must be readily available and accessible within one week.
- Obstructions were identified in a handwashing sink adjacent to the front counter area. All handwashing sinks must be free of obstructions and adequately stocked for immediate use by employees. Handwashing sinks must be used for handwashing only.
- When handling food that does not come into contact with the skin, employees must wear appropriate hair protection measures such as hair nets, hats and beard guards for male employees with heavy facial hair. Employees must not wear watches or bracelets when handling food that does not come into contact with the skin. Food must be protected from possible contamination.
- All food and large food containers, including beverage containers, must be stored at least 15 cm above the floor. In walk-in refrigerators and freezers, attention must be paid to food containers and beverage containers stored at floor level.
- Large food containers, including cylindrical plastic food containers (squeeze bottles), must be labelled with their contents unless they are easily identifiable.
- All non-food contact equipment surfaces must be kept clean. This includes the interior and exterior surfaces of refrigerators, freezers, stove tops, kitchen countertops, walk-in refrigerators, walk-in freezers (WIF), shelving, fan covers in walk-in refrigerators and freezers, dishwashing areas, etc. All non-food contact equipment surfaces in the kitchen area must be cleaned thoroughly and frequently.
- The floor, under and around equipment, in the main kitchen area and in the dishwashing area must be thoroughly cleaned. The physical facilities of the establishment must be kept clean.
- The most recent health inspection report or a sign indicating that the most recent health inspection report is available upon request must be posted in a conspicuous location in the establishment so that it is visible to customers. The food establishment license must also be posted in a conspicuous location in the establishment. Copies of the food establishment license may be obtained by calling the health department at the following telephone numbers: (915) 212-6628, (915) 212-6617 or (915) 212-6610.
Note: The restaurant was inspected again on August 7 and received an inspection score of 79.
