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, 3620 Camden Road. Date of inspection Sept. 18. Need thermometers in cooler and freezers, to ensure proper temperature holding.
• Delta – Aramark, 1701 S. Spruce St. Date of inspection Sept. 14. Observation: Need to clean non-food contact surface (counter tops.)
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
• Hardee’s, 2828 W. 28th Ave. Date of inspection Sept. 12. Warmer over sandwich preparation area, toaster, pan racks and other equipment as well as walls in preparation area are visibly soiled. Clean any visibly soiled surfaces as soon as needed. Keep waste cans clean and covered when not in use. Preparation and storage areas need general cleaning. Clean these areas as needed. No bare hand contact with exposed, ready-to-eat food or ice. Use gloves, spatulas, tongs, deli tissue or other dispensing equipment. Observed manager using bare hands to put fried pies in paper serving containers. Light bulbs in walk in cooler not shielded from breakage. Shield bulbs or install shatterproof bulbs. close
• Mexican Grill/Pizza, 2901 Pines Mall Drive. Date of inspection Sept. 12. Unshielded light bulbs in preperation areas. Install light shields or shatterproof bulbs. Damp wiping cloths laying about. Rinse them in 100-150 ppm sanitizer between tasks. Visibly soiled equipment and surfaces in rear areas need cleaning. Clean as needed. Food workers shall wear hair restraints, beard restraints, and clothing that covers body hair. Did not see thermometers in food coolers. Place thermometers in these coolers. Uncovered waste cans. Keep them covered when not in use. No sanitizer test strips. Need strips to check sanitizer levels in 3rd sink and wiping cloth water. Walls, floors and ceilings need to be refinished. Refinish as to be smooth and easily cleanable.
• Rally’s Hamburgers, 2301 W. 28th Ave. Date of inspection Sept. 12. Discontinue consuming food, use of unapproved beverage containers, or use of tobacco in food preparation or warewashing area. Male worker eating in prep area. Employee with short hair with head band as hair restraint. This leaves most of exposed hair free to fall out. Each employee need to use his own effective hair restraint depending on his or her hair. Work boards at preperation coolers are getting in disrepair and need refinishing or replaced.
• Sonic Drive In, 2407 Olive St. Date of inspection Sept. 12. Visor caps don’t keep short, unrestrained hair from falling out. Each employee needs to use whatever effective hair restraint needed for that person.
• Valero, 3000 E. Harding Ave. Date of inspection Sept. 12. Store bagged ice should have store address on them.
• ADC-Pine Bluff Work Complex, 890 Freeline Drive. Date of inspection Sept. 14. Spray nozzle hose has bad leak and wrapped in plastic wrap which cannot be properly cleaned. Repair spray hose.
• Watson Chapel High School, 4000 Camden Road. Date of inspection Sept. 15. Food not in the original packages for use in establishment must be identified with the common name of the food.
• Klassic Kids Day Care, 2407 S. Cherry St. Date of inspection Sept. 15. Observation: Trash can in staff restroom needs to be covered to maintain sanitary napkins.
• Happy’s Kid Learning Center, 614 S. Cherry St. Date of inspection Sept. 15. Observation: Toilet room receptacle needs to be covered to maintain sanitary napkins.
• Family Dollar, 5316 Dollarway Road. Date of inspection Sept. 15. Vent hood in the women’s restroom needs to be repaired. The back storage area needs to be cleaned and organized.
• Mi Casita Tex Mex Restaurant, 1005 Sheridan Road, Redfield. Date of inspection Sept. 19. Wiping cloths shall be used as intended and in compliance with regulations pertaining to retail food establishment. Wiping cloths should be kept in a sanitize solution after each use. All drinks must have a lid and straw. To prevent contamination. Food in walk in-cooler must be stored six inches from the floor.
• Matthews Elementary School, 4501 Dollarway Road. Date of inspection Sept. 21. All employee drinks in the food preparation area must have a lid and a straw. Food is being stored on the floor. Should be stored at least six inches above the floor.
• Robert R. Moorehead School, 2601 Fluker St. Date of inspection Sept. 20. Observation: Pipe under vegetable sink needs to be repaired or replaced. Observation: All trash cans lids. Only need lids if they contain food residue and are not in continuous use. Observation: Air vents need to be cleaned.
• Dollarway High School, 2601 Fluker St. Date of inspection Sept. 20. All employee drinks in the food preparation area must have a lid and a straw.