Food for Thought Report 5.31 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

A Lubbock meat market and deli is closed, after the Lubbock Health Department pulls both their processing and retail permits.

"They were shut down due to health violations," Lubbock Environmental Health manager Bridget Faulkenberry said.

The Lubbock Health Department pulled Carniceria Sonora's processing and retail permits Tuesday after finding 13 violations at the meat market and deli at 2837 Clovis Road.

According to the four page report, the establishment was shut down due to "repeat violations and imminent health hazards," and more than a week later the door is still padlocked shut.

Health inspectors went to the facility after someone complained of raw meat on the roof. Inspectors found uncovered meat on a rack, on top of the building and flies were on the meat. Bottle flies, which are attracted to filth and decaying meat, were around the back of the building.

Here's a look at the other violations.

• Multiple cold and hot food items were not stored at the correct temperature.
• An employee did not wash their hands between job duties.
• An uncovered drink was on the food prep counter.
• Food products were not labeled.
• Some food was molded.
• Several foods were not properly date-marked.
• A hand sink was not accessible.
• And another one did not have disposable towels.
• Flies were found in the deli displace case and throughout the building.
• Toxic items were improperly stored.
• A thermometer was not properly calibrated and the thermometer on a cooler was broken.
• Multiple food items were soiled or broken.

We went in search of answers to the list of violations. The owner said all violations had been corrected, but we wanted to see for ourselves. The owner tells us he has had two follow-up inspection with repeat critical violations, but he expects to reopen Friday after another inspection by the health department.

"I can't really say when they will open, or if they will open, but we are working with them," Faulkenberry said.

Food for Thought 5.31 Here is a complete list of the restaurants and their violations for the week ending on 5/31/07.

Lubbock Inn at 3901 19th Street had seven critical violations.

• Food was not cooled properly.
• Chicken was 59 degrees. It must be 41 degrees or colder.
• Turkey did not have a date mark.
• Toxic items were not properly stored.
• Facility is not using a thermometer to check the internal temperature of foods.
• Several food contact surfaces were soiled.
• The facility did not have a consumer advisory about the consumption of under cooked foods.

An employee says, all violations have been corrected. The report shows most were corrected during the inspection.

Next we head to Burger Boy at 1902 34th Street where inspectors founds 11 critical violations.

• Chili was discarded after it did not cool properly.
• Several cold foods were above the safe temperature.
• Ice was dumped in a hand sink.
• The hand sink did not have cold water, or disposable towels.
• The cook was not wearing gloves when handling food
• and was handling multiple food and non-food items without washing their hands. Uncovered raw hamburger patties were stored next to an open package of bacon.
• Potentially hazardous foods were not correctly date-marked.
• Toxic items were improperly stored.
• Facility was not using the correct type of thermometer for thin foods, and the thermometer being used was not correctly calibrated.
• Several food contact surfaces were soiled or damaged.

Management says all violations have been corrected. The report shows, all but three of the violations were corrected at the time of the inspection.