(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – State, city and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations in recent weeks, including cockroaches, food that had expired last year, and unsanitary kitchens. At one upscale eatery, steaks were being thawed in the sink designated for rinsing floor mops. The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are some of the more serious findings that stem from inspections at Iowa restaurants, cafeterias and stores over the past four weeks.

The state inspections department reminds the public that their reports are a “snapshot” in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment. For a more complete list of all inspections, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing website.

Among the findings:

During a March 12 visit to Hy-Vee Foods, 4500 Sergeant Road, Sioux City,  an inspector observed that the “gourmet mushroom Swiss burgers” were underweight, and so the situation was corrected by “adding a little more burger to the units to meet the labeling requirements.” Also, the kitchen staff was cutting peppers and the produce section was cutting melons while using their bare hands to handle the food. In addition, the sushi rice and Chinese foods that were placed into a container were not first cooled to 41 degrees as required. The inspector also reported that the loaf pans and muffin pans used in the bakery were visibly soiled and there was a dead mouse in trap by the loading dock.

During a March 12 visit to Valentina’s Meat Market in Storm Lake, an inspector noted that the owner of the establishment and the employees did not know proper internal cooking temperatures, labeling requirements for packaged foods, or proper hot-holding temperatures for food. In addition, there was no certified food protection manager on staff. Also, hot chicharron, a form of deep-fried pork, was holding at 88 degrees, which was far too cool to ensure safety, and so the owner agreed to not serve or sell the product. The inspector also reported that multiple temperature-controlled foods were stored in coolers throughout the establishment with no date markings on them.

In addition, packaged cake, seasonings, raw meats, and spices were not properly labeled and were missing their common names, ingredients, name of the manufacturer and any allergy information. Due to the number of repeat violations dating back to 2019, the business and the Buena Vista County Health Department created a formal risk-control plan to help address the violations.

And, during a March 4th visit to Texas Roadhouse in Ames, an inspector observed an employee handling raw food of an unspecified nature without washing their hands before transitioning to the preparation of salads. Also, the handwashing sink wasn’t reaching a minimum of 100 degrees; raw chicken was stored above raw catfish; several knives on the food-preparation line were visibly soiled; fried chicken was cooked to a temperature of 151 degrees rather than 165 degrees; a container of potatoes was stored on top of a trash can; and a drain line was leaking water onto the floor.

The visit was prompted by an illness complaint of some kind, with the restaurant manager indicating they were aware of a similar complaint. The inspection report gives no indication as to whether the complaint was deemed verified, but the manager agreed to perform a thorough cleaning of the establishment before the restaurant opened for business the following day.