The Journal publishes local restaurant inspection reports provided monthly by the Montezuma County Health Department.
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.
Inspections of all retail food facilities are done at least once a year.
Melissa Mathews conducts about 145 retail food facility inspections every year for Montezuma and Dolores counties as the Health Department’s environmental health specialist.
New rulesNew inspection regulations took effect Jan. 1 in Colorado.
Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations are based on a national standard for retail food sales and include several changes.
Every facility serving food to the public must have at least one certified food protection manager, who may educate other staff, Mathews said.
“Studies have shown that when there is a certified food protection manager at staff, foodborne illnesses go down,” Mathews said.
Courses typically take two days and include a test. Classes are available at 970-565-3056.
Restaurants and food facilities may use sturdy, noncommercial-grade equipment and use any size of hand-washing sink. Food may be prepared in the three-sink area previously restricted to dish washing.
Facilities must date stored foods and must control food temperature.
Customer containers may be used for to-go food, but after the container is washed properly by the facility.
Staff must wash hands between glove changes when beginning a different task. Hand-washing between glove changes while doing the same task is no longer required.
Food facilities must have procedures for cleaning up after vomiting and diarrheal events.
New violation categories are “Priority,” “Priority Foundation” and “Core.” “Critical” and “noncritical” categories are no longer used.
“Priority” and “Priority Foundation” are critical violations that might cause foodborne illness. “Core” violations are noncritical and carry less risk of foodborne illness.
Mathews said inspections now take longer because of the need to educate facility staff. Facilities are encouraged to keep a hard copy handy or bookmark it on a computer desktop.
Montezuma-Cortez High School418 S Sligo St., Cortez
Date: Sept. 30
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Manaugh Elementary School300 E. Fourth St., Cortez
date: Sept. 30
priority violations: 0
priority Foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Main Street Brewery & Restaurant21 E. Main St., Cortez
date: Sept. 26
priority violations: 3
1. Cleaning procedure category
inspector comments: Observed employee wearing on brace on hand/arm not washing hands with the correct procedure. Problem corrected during inspection.
2. Proper hot holding temperatures category
inspector comments: Observed mashed potatoes in the steam table at 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed etouffee at 95 degrees. These products were in the table for two hours and were able to reheat properly to 165 degrees. Problem corrected during inspection.
3. Sanitizers, criteria-chemicals category
inspector comments: Chemical sanitizer concentration used above maximum level permitted. Wiping solution exceeds 200 ppm. Problem corrected during inspection.
priority foundation violations: 2
1. Knowledge demonstration category
inspector comments: Not complying by having no violations of Priority or Priority items during the current inspection. Problem was corrected during inspection.
2. Thermometer provided and accurate category
inspector comments: Thermometer available for measuring food temperatures is not accurate. Measurement is off more than 5 degrees. Problem was corrected during inspection.
core violations: 0
Loungin’ Lizard2 W. Main St., Cortez
date: Sept. 25
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Mancos Masonic Lodge140 W Montezuma Ave., Mancos
date: Sept. 18
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 1
1. Cooling methods, temperature control equipment category.
inspector comments: Observed reach-in storing cold foods not able to maintain 41 degrees or less. Food temperatures are 41 degrees but moving to another refrigerated reach-in. Problem corrected during inspection.
core violations: 0
Mancos Elementary School301 W. Grand Ave., Mancos
date: Sept. 18
priority violations: 0
priority Foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Nanny’s Taqueria101 S. 11 St., Dolores
date: Sept. 17
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Montezuma County Detention Center730 E Driscoll St., Cortez
date: Sept. 16
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Mancos Brewing Co.484 E. Frontage Road, Mancos
date: Sept. 13
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Shiloh Steakhouse5 Veach St., Cortez
date: Sept. 13
priority violations: 0
priority Foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Mountain Top Liquor225 Glasgow St., Rico
date: Sept. 12
priority violations: 0
priority Foundation Violations: 0
core violations: 0
Stonefish Sushi and More16 W. Main St., Cortez
date: Sept. 11
priority violations: 0
priority Foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
The Farm Bistro34 W. Main St., Cortez
date: Sept. 11
priority Violations: 0
priority Foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Don Vic’s Grocery Store2501 E. Main St., Cortez
date: Sept. 10
priority violations: 0
priority Foundation Violations: 0
core violations: 0
Pleasant View Elementary School15388 County Road CC, Cortez
date: Sept. 9
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Seventh Street Elementary700 N. Main St., Dove Creek
date: Sept. 9
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0
Bubba’s18806 U.S. Highway 491, Lewis
date: Sept. 5
priority violations: 0
priority foundation violations: 0
core violations: 0