Mold in ice machines and drink dispensers, along with spider webs and mice feces in a store room were found during November health inspections at food serving businesses and institutions. Orange County Health Inspector James Scales reported finding the mice feces at the Mauriceville School kitchen, which still managed to get a score of 97.
The lowest score was a 79 to the Bridge City McDonald’s. The restaurant had expired date foods in the cooler, a broken ice cream machine with the mix still in it, plus wiping cloths stored improverly.
Scales gave six perfect scores with three to schools and one to a church cafe. Little Cypress Elementary, Bridge City Middle and Orangefield High earned scores of 100, along with the First Baptist Church Orange coffee cafe, the Wal-Mart in Bridge City, and James Brown’s Gumbo House in Vidor.
Scales made pre-opening inspections to Mike’s Diner on Highway 87 in Little Cypress, Mission Grounds Coffee Shop at Eastgate Pentecostal Church in Vidor, and Orange County Preschool’s new location in Vidor.
Scores and demerits are:
McDonald’s, 755 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 79. Inspector pulled expired dated foods from cooler. Foods in the coolers and on shelves needed to be covered and dated. Dishes that had been cleaned had food on them. Paper towels were needed at the hand-washing station. The ice cream machine was broken with the product still inside instead of being disposed. Employee was wearing impropery jewelry. Wiping clothes were stored improperly. The outside of equipment, along with floors, walls, and Vent-a-Hood needed to be cleaned of old foods and greas. Restrooms needed to be cleaned. Health inspection report needed to be posted.
Blue Bird Fish Camp, 102 Farragut Avenue in Orange: 81. Onions were not at proper temperature. Raw meats were stored above produce in coolers. And employee was using bare hands with no gloves in contact with food that was ready to eat. Chemicals were stored above foods in the dry storage. Restaurant did not have a certifed food manager on staff. Store name and address were needed on bags of ice being sold. Employee drinks were stored improperly inside the reach-in cooler. Vents at the Vent-a-Hood needed to be cleaned of old grease. Current food service permit and current health inspection report were not posted in front.
Kwik Stop Valero, 2210 South Main Street in Vidor: 87. Inspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Store did not have a certified food handler certificate. Dates were needed on products inside coolers. Thermometers were needed inside coolers. Drinks were stored on the floor inside walk-in cooler, along withstorage shelves inside the deli and on the sales floor. Floors throughout store needed to be cleaned of old foods and dirt. Paper towels were needed in the employee restroom.
Best Price Motel, 2610 Lutcher Drive in Orange: 88. Sausage was not at proper temperature. No record was kept on how long sausage was out of proper temperature. Motel did not have a certified food handler on staff. Thermometers were needed inside coolers and freezers. Wiping clothes were stored improperly at the dish sink. Inside of cabinets needed to be cleaned.
Comfort Inn, 2321 Highway 62 South in Orange: 90 Boiled eggs were not at proper temperature. The front reach-in freezer was not keeping proper temperatures and needed immediate repairs. Dishes were inside the hand-washing station. The inside of the reach-in freezer was rusted. Area around and behind the outside dumpster needed to be cleaned.
Vidor Superette, 5645 North Main Street in Vidor: 90. Inspector pulled several expried foods from shelves. Ice scoop was on top of the counter in the back storage room. Store name and address were needed on bags of ice being sold. Drinks were stored on the floor inside the walk-in cooler. Back storage room needed to be cleaned and organized.
Flying J Travel Plaza, 7112 Interstate 10 West in Orange: 90. Pizza was at improper temperatures and management immediately discarded it. Inspector pulled several outdated products and items without proper date marks from inside coolers. Employee drinks were stored improperly inside reach-in cooler. Floors in the back storage room needed to be cleaned. Baseboards were damaged and walls in the back storage room needed to be repaired.
Waffle House, 125 East Freeway in Vidor: 91. Mold was inside the ice machine. Dishes that had been cleaned had food still on them. Employee had bare-hand contact without gloves for ready-to-eat foods. Dishes and chemicals were stored inside the hand-washing station. Employee food and drinks were stored improperly inside reach-in coolers.
Subway, 2809 MacArthur Drive in West Orange: 92. Ice dispenser at the drink station had mold build-up and needed to be cleaned immediately. Store did not have a certified food manager on staff. Employee did not have food handler certificate. Employee food and drinks were stored improperly on the prep table.
Brick Oven Pizza, 1125 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 92. Meatballs were out of proper temperatures. Containers were stored directly on top of cut lettuce. Dates were needed on products inside coolers.
Dollar General, 3024 North 16th Street in Orange: 92. INspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Spider webs were throughout store. Food and drinks were stored on the floor. Storage shelvves on the sales floor needed to be cleaned of old foods and dust. Ceiling tiles were damaged. Current food service permits and health inspection report were not posted in front.
Tuffy’s Eatery, 11263 Highway 12 in Mauriceville: 93. Mold was inside the ice machine. Scoop was stored on stop of a storage shelf. Paper towels were needed at the hand-washing station. Vents at the Vent-a-Hood and around fryers needed to be cleaned of old grease. “Lots of equipment” was stored outside and needed to be moved or discarded.
Dollar General, 385 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 94. Inspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Spider webs were throughout store. Drinks were stored on the floor throughout store. Current food service permit and health inspection report were not posted in front.
Cakes Plus, 7677 Lamurel Willey Road in Mauriceville: 95. Employee was using bare hands (no gloves) in contact with ready-to-eat foods. Employee food and drinks were stored improperly inside cooler and storage shelves. Floors and shelves throughout needed to be cleaned of old foods and dirt.
CVS Pharmacy, 1295 North Main Street in Vidor: 96. Inspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Bottom of back door needed to be sealed.
Whataburger, 2300 MacArthur Drive in Orange: 96. Plumbing under the hand-washing station had a water drip. Employee drinks were stored on top of toaster and on storage shelves above food product.
Bullfish, 108 Nevils Street in Bridge City: 97. Paper towels were needed at the hand-washing station. Employee drinks were stored improperly inside reach-in cooler.
LaQuinta Inn and Suites, 108 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 97. Cooked eggs and sausage were not a proper temperatures.
Mauriceville School Kitchen, 19952 FM 1130 in Mauriceville: 97. The bottom of the reach-in cooler was holding water and freezing up. Inspector required immediate repairs. Mice feces were in the back storage room. Inspector worked with food service director and staff until the problems were resolved.
Hushpuppy’s Seafood, 1202 North Main Street in Vidor: 99. Walls were needed at the outside dry storage area because insulation was exposed.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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