u/thatbytch7866

Anybody else get constant get told “the coolers in defrost so that’s why the foods warm” when finding improper cold holding temperatures. I always say, “even if that’s the case, we shouldn’t be seeing temperatures this high.”

I mean I get it if I’m seeing temps from 42-43F and it goes back down toward the end of an inspection but I rarely see that. Usually the foods 45F or more and I’ve only been doing this about 1.5 years so I’m new but I feel like that’s not a valid reason for food to be that warm.

Does anybody give wiggle room or take the defrost mode explanation/excuse seriously?

Im learning more about how coolers work as I gain experience but I don’t really let that fly. Let me know if yall run into this and what you do

I’ve done a few inspections so far where the entire establishment or maybe a small section of the kitchen (usually dish pit or dry storage rooms) have a objectionable odor with no obvious cause I can point out. Sometimes I smell a sewage-like odor without any sewage backup anywhere or smell a mildew-like odor but no visible microbial growth is seen.

Do yall know why this happens? Also, do you mark it as a violation? I just put a comment on the report about it so it’s documented but nothing in the food code or my states rules says the place has to smell good LMAO.

I just find it really alarming when their odors that I cannot find the source of…especially when it smell like sewage but there’s no sewage backup 💀

Sometimes I do TFE permits and look at the hoses they use for potable water.

I know green hoses are typically not approved for potable water. I know the blue ones or white and blue ones are for RV water. Some of the hoses have an NSF/ANSI symbol on them. When it comes to that it’s typically pretty easy yes or no if they can use it.

I’ve seen other hoses people use and they claim it’s food grade, They say they don’t have any specific information because they bought it a long time ago, and there nothing on the hose indicating it for drinking water.

How do I makes decisions when the operator cannot produce evidence it’s food grade and I cannot prove it’s not or even look it up since there nothing about the model or brand on the hose? Do I just take their word for it? I don’t feel comfortable telling people they cannot use something if I cannot produce evidence it’s definitely not approved.

Sorry if this is poorly written. I’m trying my best with brain that been fried from an entire day of permitting food vendors. I just need advice on how to tackle this issue with hoses I keep running into.

In addition to “nobody told me that before” does everyone get told “is that new?!”

I’m deadass say “un, no” lol

I’m going to take the NEHA exam soon. Y’all got any study tips?

I only work for the food and lodging program and our childcare and school program. It’s seems the test wants you to know a lot about vector control, air quality, housing programs etc which I don’t do. How do I teach myself these things to pass the exam?

The few times I’ve had to resort to suspending permits made me feel so guilty about putting people out of work which could lead to them being in very compromising situations where maybe they can’t pay rent or something.

I know it’s necessary to protect public health but how do I get over the extreme feeling of guilt it can cause me. It’s definitely a hard thing about this profession.

It also sucks people think we want to resort to that or take some sort of pleasure in doing it! Like no, it’s literally a nightmare to close down a restaurant, hotel, etc.

I suspended this restaurants permit and they’re still open when I drove by after work. If it was not so late I would do something but I have things to do after work.

I’m not excited about dealing with this….🫠🫠

I’ve been doing this for about two years and still find the risk categories for food establishments confusing.

I have establishment which permit says their a CAT II but they have very extensive cooking and cooking of several TCS food items and some as CAT IV which basically just reheat two types of frozen TCS foods and discard the leftovers.

Idk if people who worked before me did this wrong or I’m just really confused myself and need more guidance lol.

I’m literally typing this as my trainee finishes his report. We are at a restaurant with a buffet and some of the bars are not adequate for hot holding.

PIC said they have turnover every 20-30 mins which I can literally see the food being quickly eaten by consumers and they’re constantly cooking more food.

TPHC would not be practical. We are having them adjust the equipment to hold hotter and coming to do a follow up.

The food had not been there long enough to discard and I believe the PIC when he says it’s only been there 30ish mins because we’re witnessing all the food being taken to eat very fast. Reheating a lot of these items would ruin their quality.

How would you handle this? I know it might not be exactly perfect but it seems ridiculous to make them reheat all this food or discard it. TPHC will not be practical so they won’t comply.

Some of the situations I come across just put me in such a dilemma 😭. I don’t want people eating unsafe food or enforce unpractical corrective actions they won’t follow. I want to ensure long term compliance with realistic solutions.

Buffets tend to be the most problematic things in this job besides food truck lol