The Arkansas Department of Health regulates the sale of food at establishments which include restaurants, bars, daycares, schools, grocery stores, convenience stores, bed and breakfast facilities, hotels/motels, mobile units and concession stands. Inspections are made unannounced by environmental health specialists.
Electronic copies of retail food inspection reports are available on the Arkansas Food Inspection Portal. To access the portal, visit the food protection page on the Arkansas Department of Health website at www.healthy.arkansas.gov.
The following are the results of food safety inspections conducted by the Jefferson County Health Unit:
• Holiday Inn Express, 7800 Sheridan Road, White Hall. Date of inspection July 24. No paper towels noted at hand-washing sink in kitchen. Provide a supply of individual disposable towels or a continuous towel system that supplies the user with a clean towel or a heated-air drying device at each hand-washing sink in food preparation, toilet and ware washing areas. Paper towels were placed at hand-washing sink during inspection. No test strips noted in kitchen. Test strips must be available and used to test the strength of chemical sanitizing solutions.
• Q’s Cool Cups, mobile, 9404 U.S. 270, White Hall. Date of inspection July 24. Thermometer in refrigerator is not working properly. Need a working thermometer in refrigerator holding food that must stay cold.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
• Subway, 8001 Sheridan Road, White Hall. Date of inspection July 24. Observed leak in ceiling vent in walk in cooler — needs to be repaired
• Sam’s Southern Eatery, 1704 E. Harding Ave. Date of follow-up inspection July 23. Some foods in prep cooler are out of safe temperature range (must be 41 degrees F or below). Bottom of back door seal is broken and needs to be repaired to prevent the entry of pests into the establishment. Observed unclean wiping cloths being stored on counter tops throughout facility. Wiping cloths should be kept in a sanitizer solution between use. Test strips not observed in establishment. Test strips needed to test sanitizer strength. Floors throughout kitchen are unclean and need to be cleaned.
• Snack-n-Shop, 10900 U.S. 270, Pine Bluff. Date of inspection July 23. No paper towels noted at hand-washing sink in kitchen. Provide a supply of individual disposable towels or a continuous towel system that supplies the user with a clean towel or a heated-air drying device at each hand-washing sink in food preparation, toilet, and ware-washing areas. Observed chicken sitting out on counter top in a container to thaw. Food should only be thawed out using an approved method. Chicken was placed in the refrigerator during inspection. Observed dead insects on floor throughout facility. Dead insects shall be removed from control devices and the premises at a frequency that prevents their accumulation, decomposition, or the attraction of pests. No test strips observed in establishment. Test strips must be available and used to test the strength of chemical sanitizing solutions. Some flooring in kitchen and some ceiling tiles in dry storage are damaged and need to be replaced.
• J-Mart Store, 13800 Dollarway Road, White Hall. Date of inspection July 20. Some hot holding temperatures in hot hold unit are out of safe temperature range. Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) Foods shall be kept hot at a temperature of 135.0°F or above, as measured by an internal probe thermometer, to limit bacterial growth. Some cold holding temperatures in walk in cooler holding milk out of safe temperature range. Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) Foods shall be kept cold at a temperature of 41.0°F or below, as measured by an internal probe thermometer, to limit bacterial growth. Observed two bulk containers being used to store opened seasoning in not labeled. Bulk bins holding food should be labeled with common name of food it contains. Ice bags that contain ice packaged in the store are not labeled and should have a label with store information on them. Observed a rodent in kitchen. Facility should remain free of pests. Ice machine interior damaged and needs to be repaired. Three compartment sink is unclean and needs to be cleaned. Some parts of counter where drink machine is is unclean and needs to be cleaned. Restroom door does not have a self closure. Restroom door should be self closing. Trash cans containing food residue should be covered when not in continuous use. Some ceiling tiles in dry storage are missing or damaged and need to be replaced. Some flooring and ceiling tiles are unclean and need to be cleaned.
• CASA Women’s Shelter, 1113 State St. Date of inspection July 19. Some foods in refrigerator near kitchen door are out of safe temperature range (must be 41 degrees F or below). The door seal on the refrigerator closest to the dry storage room is in disrepair and not sealing properly. The seal needs to be repaired or replaced to seal properly. Shelves in refrigerators are unclean and need to be cleaned.
• Indigo Blue Coffeehouse, 212 W. Barraque St. Date of inspection July 19. Observed no thermometers in refrigerator. Need thermometers in all cooler and hot holding unit to ensure proper holding temperatures.
• Pine Bluff Best Gas Station, 200 University Drive. Date of inspection July 19. Observed ice bag with no label. Food packaged in Retail Food establishment, shall be labeled as specified in law.
• Crenshaw Springs Water Park, 9801 Dollarway Road, White Hall. Date of inspection July 18. Observed opened commercial container of sauce in refrigerator held for more than 7 days. Opened commercial containers should be date marked and discarded after 7 days. Sauce was discarded during inspection. Observed ice scoop being stored with the handle on top of the ice. Ice scoop should be stored handle up if being stored in ice container. Ice scoop was placed handle up in ice during inspection. Inside of drawers next to fryers have residue on them and need to be cleaned.
• Dollar General Store, 4119 Camden Road. Date of inspection July 18. Provide a supply of individual disposable towels or a continuous towel system that supplies the user with a clean towel or a heated-air drying device at each hand-washing sink. Paper towels were placed in bathroom during time of inspection. Observation: Corrective Action: Place permit to operate in a location that is easily visible to customers. Contact the billing office at 501-661-2171 to request a reprint of your permit if necessary.
• Shipley’s Donuts, 5916 Dollarway Road. Date of inspection July 18. Observed sugar not labeled. Bulk containers holding stored ingredients shall be labeled with common name of food can be un-mistakenly recognized. Observation: Establishment needs testing strips to measure the concentration of the sanitizing solution. Test strips must be available and used to test the strength of chemical sanitizing solutions.
• La Estrellita Tienda Mexicana, 28th Aveunue; Rodrigo Cano. Date of inspection July 17. Observed no paper towels at hand-washing sink. Provide a supply of individual disposable towels or a continuous towel system that supplies the user with a clean towel or a heated-air drying device at each hand washing sink in food preparation, and ware washing areas. Observed bread no of original container. Food packaged in Retail Food establishment, shall be labeled as specified in law.