The Journal publishes local restaurant inspection reports provided monthly by the Montezuma County Health Department.
Inspections of all retail food facilities are done yearly, and in some cases, more than once per year.
Unannounced inspections are conducted for restaurants, school, hospital and nursing home cafeterias, grocery stores, convenience stores, fairgrounds, resorts, food trucks and any event or facility where food is sold to the public.
Melissa Mathews conducts about 145 retail food facility inspections every year for Montezuma and Dolores counties as the Health Department’s environmental health specialist.
The inspections are completed on-site and include compliance standards set by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. The categories are divided into critical and noncritical health standards specific to retail food facilities.
Critical areas are those that if not in compliance may cause foodborne illnesses. The categories include food sources, personnel, food temperature-control, sanitation, water systems and plumbing, hand-washing facilities, pest control and poisonous or toxic items.
Noncritical areas are important but have less risk of causing foodborne illness. The categories include food labeling and protection, equipment design and construction, testing devices, and cleaning of equipment, utensils and linens.
Under Colorado law, any retail food customer can ask an establishment for its latest inspection report, and the facility is required to provide it, Mathews said.
Fiesta Mexicana No. 3430 Colorado 145, Cortez
Date: Nov.30, 1.3 hours
Critical violations: 0
Noncritical violations: 0
Millwood Junction101 Railroad Ave., Mancos
Date: Nov. 29, 2 hours
Critical violations: 1
1. Food temperature control category
Inspector comments: Potentially hazardous foods are being held improperly at temperatures greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit at all times during service. Observed potato salad, macaroni salad and cooked/cooled meatballs being held on ice at 58 degrees. Food was discarded since the four-hour rule had been exceeded. Problem was corrected on-site.
Noncritical violations: 3
1. Cleaning of equipment/utensils category
Inspector comments: Food-contact surfaces are not clean to sight and touch. Observed meat slicer stored dirty.
2. Cleaning of equipment/utensils category
Inspector comments: Nonfood contact surfaces are not clean. Observed freezer lid downstairs has a lot of buildup and food spills on top.
3. Utensils/single service articles category
inspector comments: Utensils and/or equipment are stored in prohibited methods. Observed utensils being stored in water at temperatures less than 135 degrees but greater than 41 degrees.
Mancos Chavolo’s121 Railroad Ave., Mancos
Date: Nov. 29, 1.4 hours
critical violations: 2
1. Personnel category
Inspector comments: Employees observed not hand-washing when required. Observed employee with gloved hands handling raw meat and not discarding gloves and washing hands. Problem was corrected on-site.
2. Personnel category
Inspector comments: Single-use gloves are used improperly. Observed employee washing gloves after handling raw shrimp. Hand sinks are being used for purposes other than hand-washing. Observed employee taking foil package with frozen meat and running water from hand sink over the package to partially thaw to remove packaging. Problem was corrected on-site.
Noncritical violations: 3
1. Food labeling/protection category
Inspector comments: Foods are not thawed utilizing an approved method. Frozen package of beef is being thawed in prep sink in water that is not running or completely submerged in water with packaging removed.
2. Equipment design/construction category
Inspector comments: Food contact surfaces are not smooth, easily cleanable and nonabsorbent. Cutting board on steam table is stained; no longer smooth and cleanable.
3. Utensils/single service articles category
Inspector comments: Utensils and/or equipment are stored in prohibited areas. In-use utensils (knives) are stored dirty between equipment of steam table and cutting board.
Woody’s Food Store 135158 U.S. Highway 160, Cortez
Date: Nov. 21, .5 hours
Critical violations: 0
noncritical violations: 0
Safeway No. 18921580 Main St., Cortez
Date: Nov. 7
Critical violations: 1
1. Food temperature control category
Inspector comments: Potentially hazardous products are not being hot-held at 135 degrees or above at all times during service. Baked chicken hot-held at 125 degrees. The chicken was stored at 9 a.m. in hot case. For public health control, the product will only be held until 1 p.m. and replaced with freshly cooked chicken. Corrected on-site.
Noncritical violations: 0
The Depot520 Railroad Ave., Dolores
Date: Nov. 14, 1.2 hours
Critical violations: 3
1. Personnel category
Inspector comments: Employee used bare hands on ready-to-eat foods. Observed employees touching cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, buns, tortillas with bare hands. Corrected on-site.
2. Food temperature control category
Inspector comments: Potentially hazardous food products are not rapidly cooled from 135 degrees to 70 degrees within 2 hours and from 70 degrees to 41 degrees within an additional four hours. Observed cooked taco meat in the reach-in at 130 degrees. After evaluating for 30 minutes, the food only cooled 7 degrees. Facility immediately pulled the product out of the reach-in and placed into an ice bath and used cooling wands inside the product. Evaluated another 30 minutes, and the product was 68 degrees in one pan and 98 degrees Fahrenheit in the second. Will continue to use ice bath and wand in the second container for the next hour to ensure product is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Problem was corrected on-site.
3. Sanitation category
Inspector comments: Food-contact surfaces not adequately sanitized during manual ware washing. Facility washing dishes with detergent and placing into the sanitizing solution. Facility is not washing, rinsing and sanitizing. Corrected on-site.
Noncritical violations: 0
Dolores Elementary School1301 Central Ave., Dolores
Date: Nov. 14, 1 hour
Critical violations: 0
Noncritical violations: 0
Southwest Memorial Hospital1311 Mildred St., Cortez
Date: Nov. 5, 1.5 hours
Critical Violations: 0
Noncritical violations: 0
Ponderosa Restaurant and Lounge108 8th St., Dolores
Date: Nov. 9, 2.3 hours
Critical violations: 0
Noncritical violations: 0