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:
• Fiesta Mexicona, 3141 W. 28th Ave. Date of inspection Aug. 28. Observed a broken ice machine top; it needs to be repair to prevent any contamination. Observed no paper towels at the hand washing sink; paper towels are needed at all hand washing sinks. Observed food in walk-in cooler uncovered; food should be covered to prevent contamination. Observed lettuce out of temperature for cold holding; cold temperatures must hold a temperature of 41 degrees or lower. Shelves throughout the kitchen needs to be clean. Dry storage area needs to be clean. Wiping cloths shall be used as intended and in compliance with Regulations pertaining to Retail Food establishment. Observed several towels sitting on counter tops and should be kept in sanitizer solution. Observed food without date markings; once opened/used, foods must have proper time and date labels to know when it’s time to discard.
• Riverside Wing Thing, 2010 Port Road. Date of inspection Aug. 30. 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 handwashing sink in food preparation, toilet and warewashing areas. Need thermometers in all cooler and hot holding unit to ensure proper holding temperatures.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
• Red Cross Kitchen, 211 W. Third Ave., Suite 250. Date of inspection Aug. 30. Ice machine needs to be cleaned.
• New China Town, 2801 Olive St., Suite 9-A. Date of inspection Aug. 30. Observed uncovered food in the cooler; food must be covered to prevent contamination. Food must be stored in compliance with established regulations. Observed wiping cloths sitting around the facility. Between use, cloths must be kept in sanitizing solution.
• Country Kitchen, 4322 Dollarway Road. Date of inspection Aug. 30. Observed items in the front kitchen refrigerator out of safe temperature. Cold items must be kept at 41 degrees or below. Observed food in kitchen refrigerator being stored uncovered; this was corrected during the inspection. Food not in the original packages for use in establishment must be identified with the common name of the food.
• Tutor U of White Hall – Tiny Tutors LLC, 1600 W. 40th Ave. Date of inspection Aug. 29. Observation: No current health permit is posted.
• L.L. Owen Elementary School, 3605 Oakwood Road. Date of inspection Aug. 29. Observation: Fan in kitchen area needs to be cleaned.
• Jack Robey Junior High School, 4101 Olive St. Date of inspection Sept. 1. Some ceiling tiles in disrepair, out of place. Not easily cleanable.