EXTON, PA — Malgudi Cafe received a noncompliant finding during an Aug. 19 follow-up inspection in Exton after Chester County health officials documented food-temperature, sanitation, handwashing and equipment problems that could affect food-safety controls.
The Chester County Health Department cited 22 code provisions at the restaurant, located at 410 W. Lincoln Highway.
Inspectors found fried vegetables at 56 degrees in a preparation unit, food in a glass-door cooler at 44 to 47 degrees and a small walk-in cooler at 51 degrees. Cold foods requiring temperature control must generally be maintained at 41 degrees or below.
White rice was held at 98 degrees instead of the required minimum of 135 degrees, according to the inspection report. The restaurant was also using time rather than temperature to control some ready-to-eat foods without complete records or approval for additional items.
The department determined that the person in charge lacked adequate food-safety knowledge based on the inspection results.
An employee performing dishwashing duties changed tasks without washing their hands, while other workers put on disposable gloves without first washing their hands, inspectors reported. Wet wiping cloths were also stored outside sanitizer solution.
The kitchen’s only available handwashing sink was obstructed by a cleaning hose and could not be used for handwashing. Another handwashing sink near the cooking line had been removed and must be replaced, the department directed.
Inspectors measured an insufficient sanitizer concentration in the low-temperature dishwasher and the three-compartment sink. Food-contact surfaces and utensils throughout the kitchen had visible residue, while other surfaces, floors, tables, shelves and equipment required deep cleaning.
Additional findings included improperly stored food and utensils, reused single-service containers, unlabeled dry goods and chemicals, inadequate labeling on packaged snack mix, plumbing leaks, trash near the dumpsters and holes requiring repairs in floors, walls or ceilings.
The department also directed the restaurant to remove unused equipment and nonessential items after concluding that limited space and poor organization were contributing to improper cleaning and food storage.
Refrigeration Problems Prompt Food Disposal in West Chester
Jaco Juice & Taco, at 8 W. Gay St. in West Chester, was cited for eight code violations during a separate Aug. 19 inspection.
Inspectors recorded temperatures of 47 to 51 degrees in two preparation units and 48 to 49 degrees in a refrigerator. Foods requiring temperature control that were above 41 degrees were discarded during the inspection, while cut cucumbers and beets were transferred to a working refrigerator.
The department instructed the restaurant not to use the affected equipment for temperature-controlled foods until it was serviced and capable of maintaining 41 degrees or below.
Inspectors also found frozen fruit thawing on a counter, apples stored on the floor and an unlabeled bottle of Lysol. The fruit was moved to a refrigerator, the apples were raised off the floor and the chemical container was labeled during the inspection.
Other findings included loose refrigerator-door gaskets, inoperable faucets at two handwashing sinks, cardboard used beneath cooking equipment and food debris on a wall and inside a preparation unit.
Giant Inspection Finds Cold-Room, Handwashing Problems
A complaint inspection at Giant Food Store #6051, at 153 E. Swedesford Road in Exton, produced three cited violations.
The meat and seafood preparation and storage room was measured at 45 degrees rather than the required 41 degrees or below. The department ordered the store to repair or adjust the room and report when the proper temperature had been restored.
An employee entered a food-preparation area and put on gloves without washing their hands, while another task change occurred without an intervening handwash, inspectors reported. The cold room also lacked a thermometer.
Thirteen Facilities Listed in Compliance
The Health Department listed 13 other establishments as in compliance following Aug. 19 inspections:
- Anthony’s Cucina Fresca, Downingtown
- Brock & Co. Inc. at Villa Maria Academy Lower School, Malvern
- Dante’s Italian Bistro, Phoenixville
- Deccan Flavors, Exton
- Indian Hut, Exton
- Johny G’s Rolled Ice Cream Commissary at North Brook Marketplace, West Chester
- PASD Mobile Food Trailer, Phoenixville
- Pho Now, Downingtown
- Scrape & Scoop: Johny G’s Rolled Ice Cream, West Chester
- St. Mary of Providence Center, Elverson
- Sushi Maru Express at Acme #192, Paoli
- Turks Head Cafe LLC, West Chester
- Wyebrook Farm Market, Honey Brook
The department cautions that each inspection represents a “snapshot” of conditions at a particular time and may not reflect an establishment’s long-term food-safety practices.
Residents may submit confidential environmental-health complaints at https://www.chesco.org/5843. Anyone who becomes ill after eating at a food establishment should call 610-344-6225 instead of using the online form.
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