Food inspectors issue 19 priority violations

MILFORD — Two elementary schools, a care center and a hotel were among the nine food-service establishments that Milford Health Department inspectors cited for priority item violations last month, down one from the 10 cited in March.

Priority violations are the most serious violations and require fixing within 72 hours. The majority of the 18 priority items cited at the nine places were corrected on the spot.

The care center and a coffee shop got four violations each; a takeout restaurant got three; a coffee shop got two; and the rest each had single violations, according to inspectors' reports.

The four violations of Civita Care Center at West River, 245 Orange Ave., were an unclean underside to a large flour mixer, a Clorox bottle hanging in a shelf area next to foodcontact single-use items, bottles of degreaser stored with food items, and sanitizer solution in buckets in low concentrations, inspectors said.

The mixer was cleaned; the bottles relocated and the sanitizer was remixed to a correct concentration, inspectors said. Attempts to contact Civita were not successful on Monday and Tuesday.

Walnut Beach Coffee House, 59 Naugatuck Ave., had time-temperature control foods in a coffee station reach-in refrigerator that was too warm, above 41 degrees Fahrenheit; reheated chicken at 90 degrees left on a prep table for sandwich-making; sanitizer in a wipingcloth bucket that was too strong; and cooked and prepared food used for sandwiches at room temperature on a prep table, inspectors said.

The coffee station foods were moved, the chicken and other food placed on a sheet pan in a refrigerator, the sanitizer emptied, and the prepared foods discarded, officials said.

A coffee store worker hung up and a call back was not answered.

Bobett's Takeout, 127 Gulf St., had three priority item violations. Inspectors saw a food service worker handling readyto-eat sandwiches with bare hands, several severely dented cans of red peppers, and chlorine sanitizer solution at incorrect concentrations.

The worker put on gloves, the cans were discarded and the sanitizer was remixed, inspectors said.

Bobett's co-owner Gary Caulfield said his staff works hard to run the cleanest takeout in town and is usually pretty successful at it.

“Yes, we make mistakes,” Caulfield said. “That's how we learn.”

Inspectors found an inadequate sanitizer concentration and an inadequate or missing bulk flow prevention device on a hose at a mop sink at Dunkin Donuts, 1 Connecticut Turnpike.

The sanitizer was remixed and the hose was disconnected from the faucet, inspectors said. The phone at the restaurant was disconnected.

The sole violations occurred with CappuGino's Coffee + Shakes, 291 Sub Way. Inspectors found a tabletop prep unit and walkup refrigerator failed to maintain temperatures at less than 41 degrees.

Food inside the refrigerator was tossed and the refrigerator was replaced, inspectors said. Owner Julie Johnson said the problems were corrected as soon as possible.

The Whale Tea, 165 Cherry St., had hot water that was too hot in a restroom sink. The problem was fixed in two days, inspectors said. A worker at Whale Tea hung up when called.

Springhill Suites by Marriott, at 50 Rowe Ave., had milk in a mini-refrigerator that was warmer than 41 degrees.

The milk was discarded and the unit was replaced with one that had corresponding internal and external temperature indicators, General Manager Michael Hamilton said.

Calf Pen Meadow School, 395 Welch's Point Road, had a chlorine sanitizer concentrate in a three-bay sink that exceeded the maximum concentration permitted.

The concentration was discarded.

Harborside Middle School, 175 High St., had deli meats and cheese not held below 41 degrees. The food was discarded, inspectors said.

A school spokesperson did not return messages seeking comment.