2 restaurants and a market fail food safety inspections in Tri-Cities area

The Benton Franklin Health District gave three failing grades in food safety inspections of restaurants and other establishments selling food in the Tri-Cities area Dec. 21-27.

The health district’s food safety team gave passing grades on 14 inspections, with five of those earning perfect scores, during the holiday week.

Asian Gardens in Pasco, which was closed by the health district on Nov. 25 due to a cockroach infestation, had not reopened as of Tuesday, Dec. 31.

In the district’s routine inspections, businesses or organizations that receive at least 35 points for the more serious red violations are required to have additional inspections and must meet a tougher standard on those.

To pass followup inspections, they must have fewer than 25 red points and fewer than 10 repeat red points for previous issues.

Scores of 85 or more red points result in establishments remaining on probation until they pass two follow-up inspections, the first one within 72 hours.

Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illnesses, such as not keeping hot food hot enough or cold food cold enough, inadequate handwashing or bare-hand contact with foods.

Blue violations are low risk factors related to the cleanliness and physical condition of an establishment.

No notice is given before the inspections.

Businesses may have separate inspections of business lines with different health safety risks, such as grocery sales and a deli that prepares food.

Inspection results are posted online so residents can look up the status and the details of any violations of individual restaurants or check other businesses.

Go to bit.ly/BFHDinspections. Click on the business name and then on the date of the inspection on the right half of the next page. Look for the “Violations” tab.

For questions or complaints about food safety in Benton or Franklin counties, email contactusfoodsafety@BFHD.WA.GOV.

To participate in the health district’s food safety topics survey, go to bit.ly/BFHDfoodsafetysurvey.

Failed inspections

China Cafe Express, 201 N. Edison St., Kennewick, Follow-Up Dec. 23 (15 Red, 13 Blue)

Notes: No certified food protection manager on staff; lack of conformance with approved procedures.

Columbia Market, 1831 W. Cartmell St., Pasco, Follow-Up Dec. 26 (55 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: No certified food protection manager on staff; improper cooling procedures; room temperature storage (tapioca was voluntarily discarded).

Sushi Ya Japanese Restaurant, 731 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, Follow-Up Dec. 23 (35 Red, 4 Blue)

Notes: No certified food protection manager on staff; raw meats above ready-to-eat food; room temperature storage or improper use of time as a control (raw fish, sushi rolls, tempura shrimp discarded).

Passed inspections

Carniceria 3 Pueblos, 2446 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, Routine Dec. 23 (20 Red, 2 Blue) (Commissary 0 Red, 0 Blue)

Carniceria La Catrina, 2115 E. Lewis St., Pasco, Routine Dec. 27 (30 Red, 0 Blue) (Commissary 0 Red, 0 Blue)

Fiesta Foods, 115 S. 10th Ave., Pasco, Routine Dec. 27 (Bakery 25 Red, 0 Blue) (Caterer 0 Red, 0 Blue) (Deli Red, 0 Blue) (Fruits 0 Red, 0 Blue) (Kiosk 15 Red, 0 Blue) (Meat 15 Red, 0 Blue) (Store 10 Red, 0 Blue)

Firehouse Subs, 2607 Kingsgate Way, Richland, Routine Dec. 26 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Horn Rapids Golf Course, 2800 Clubhouse Lane, Richland, Routine Dec. 26 (15 red, 0 Blue)

Jackalope Bar & Grill, 3320 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, Routine Dec. 23 (0 Red, 5 Blue)