WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors cited three food facilities on July 9, including Phoenixville Country Club, where moldy cheese, unsafe food temperatures and inadequate dishwasher sanitizer levels were documented during a review of kitchen and storage operations.
Phoenixville Country Club, 355 Country Club Road, received violations involving food storage, temperature control, sanitation, equipment maintenance and pest prevention.
Inspectors found cheese with visible mold in a lowboy cooler, according to the county report. Staff discarded the cheese during the inspection.
A cookline cooler was holding food between 50 and 53 degrees rather than the required maximum of 41 degrees. All temperature-controlled food stored in the unit was discarded, and inspectors directed the facility to have the cooler repaired before using it again for those foods.
Cut tomatoes, lettuce, butter and other products in a preparation unit measured between 45 and 47 degrees. The food was transferred to a walk-in cooler, and staff were directed to keep the preparation unit’s lids closed to maintain safe temperatures.
Chili in a hot-holding unit measured 130 degrees, below the required minimum of 135 degrees. Inspectors directed employees to stir hot-held foods frequently to prevent cold spots.
The final sanitizing rinse in a bar dishwasher registered 10 parts per million of chlorine, below the required range of 50 to 100 parts per million. Dishware must be sanitized in a three-compartment sink until the problem is corrected.
Additional violations included raw beef stored above bottled water, pasta held longer than 24 hours without date markings, unlabeled squeeze bottles and food stored directly on the floor.
Inspectors also found food residue on a can opener blade and deli slicer, dirty areas beneath equipment and inside a kegerator, and a soda gun holster draining into an uncovered ice bin.
The facility was directed to repair a cracked walk-in cooler floor, seal a gap beneath a basement exterior door, obtain sanitizer test strips and discontinue reusing disposable fish trays.
The report also documented vacuum-packaged fish thawing without the packages being opened, clean ice buckets stored on the floor and ice placed in a handwashing sink. A written agreement covering the use of time rather than temperature to control certain foods was completed during the inspection.
The Flying Deutschman, a mobile food operation listed at 608 Meadowvale Lane in Media, was cited for equipment, sanitation, documentation and structural violations.
Inspectors found a missing fryer door, a deteriorating floor and soiled surfaces beneath cooking equipment. The operator was directed to securely reattach the fryer door or replace the door or unit, and to resurface the floor with a smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable material.
The mobile unit was also directed to publicly display its county operating license, certified food manager certificate and latest inspection report or a notice that the report is available upon request.
Other findings included ready-to-eat foods stored without required date labels, a soiled utensil basket and expired sanitizer products and test strips. The operator must also submit an updated commissary-use agreement to the county.
Wellington at Hershey’s Mill Senior Lifestyle Center, 1361 Boot Road in West Chester, received violations involving ice machines, food-contact surfaces, cleaning, damaged walls and floors, and pest prevention.
Inspectors found debris in ice produced by an ice machine in the memory care kitchen. The ice was discarded, and the unit was removed from service pending replacement.
The interior of the main kitchen ice machine and a deli slicer also contained residue. The main ice machine was emptied, cleaned and sanitized during the inspection, while the slicer was ordered cleaned and sanitized before further use.
The county directed the facility to conduct a deep cleaning of the main kitchen, including shelves, equipment exteriors, walls and the hood system. Other areas requiring cleaning included microwave interiors, floors beneath equipment, walk-in cooler floors, cabinets and the top of the mechanical dishwasher.
Inspectors documented damaged walls and missing seals around the dishwasher and three-compartment sink, a deteriorated mop-sink floor, damaged pitchers and an empty paper towel dispenser at a bistro handwashing sink.
The facility must also repair a walk-in cooler door, replace missing freezer air curtains, address ice buildup, repair the dishwasher’s rinse-temperature dial and replace a missing dishwasher-door gasket.
Gaps beneath exterior doors near the memory care kitchen must be sealed to prevent insects, rodents and other animals from entering.
The following facilities were inspected July 9 and found in compliance:
- Crumbl Cookies of Wayne, 125 E. Swedesford Road, Wayne
- Fairfield Inn by Marriott/Exton, 5 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton
- Hong Kong Chef at Giant, 700 Nutt Road, Phoenixville
- Kaboburritos, 148 W. State St., Kennett Square
- Mama Wong, 268 Eagleview Blvd., Exton
- Market St. Cheesesteak, 314 Market St., Oxford
- Michi Sushi, 909 Paoli Pike, West Chester
- St. Mary’s Franciscan Shelter, 209 Emmett St., Phoenixville
- State Street Pizza & Grill, 148 W. State St., Kennett Square
- Toughkenamon Market Mercado Latino, 1465 Baltimore Pike, Toughkenamon
- Trader Joe’s No. 632, 171 Swedesford Road, Wayne
- Waywood Beverage Co. Inc., 624 Miller’s Hill Road, Kennett Square
The Chester County Health Department notes that each inspection reflects conditions observed at a particular date and time and may not represent a facility’s long-term sanitation or food safety status.
To report unsanitary conditions or another environmental health concern, visit https://www.chesco.org/5843. Anyone who became ill after eating at a food establishment should call 610-344-6225.
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