To see a video on what students think about out of date inspections, click here.
To read PDF copies of some DHH complaints, click here.
Beef and broccoli with a side of maggots.That’s what one customer claims he found in his food last May at The Great Wall Restaurant.The Great Wall, a popular Chinese buffet on College Drive, has been infested with insects for more than a year, according to Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals inspections.During a May 22, 2007, inspection of the restaurant, the sanitarian confirmed the complaint and discovered “fruit and regular flies” in the establishment. Another Great Wall customer filed a complaint on Feb. 17 saying she saw roaches crawling on the sneeze-guards of the restaurant’s buffet line.Orkin Pest Control visited the restaurant on Feb. 25 to combat the pest problem, but a March 6 inspection by the LDHH discovered roaches were still living in the building.The Retail Food Program, under the LDHH, works to prevent and minimize food-borne diseases through monitoring and regulation of food establishments. But because of problems like staff shortages, the LDHH is falling behind on regular inspections around the area. Carolyn Bombet, Retail Food Program administrator, said the state is fortunate to have statewide regulations on health codes, compared to most states where each county has different regulations.The program divides each establishment into four categories and ranks them in order of complexity.For example, a type 1 establishment is very low-risk, serving only pre-packaged and non-hazardous foods. This category includes concession stands, convenience store delis and bars.A type 4 establishment extensively handles raw ingredients, which require a variety of processes to cook. This category includes cafeterias, fine dining and full-service restaurants.Every food establishment in Louisiana is expected to undergo regular inspections each year. Type 4 establishments, for example, are supposed to be inspected four times a year, according to LDHH guidelines. Under the state’s guidelines, types 1, 2 and 3 are to be inspected once, twice and three times a year, respectively.Bombet said the number of inspections required are not actually written into the sanitary code.”However, we attempt to follow a risk-based inspection guidelines,” Bombet said. “Inspections are unannounced and set up by the state sanitarian.”Bombet said region and parish managers are responsible for making sure sanitarians attempt to perform inspections on time.”When there is a shortage of staff members, this has to be triaged,” she said.Bombet said she does not have direct control over the regional and parish sanitarians, but she informs them when a certain number of facilities have not been inspected.”Their immediate supervisors are ultimately the ones who can write them up and fire them,” Bombet said. “But we have no control over it.”Silas Corkern, Region 2 supervisor, was out of town and unable to comment.Region 2 includes East and West Baton Rouge parishes, Ascension Parish, Iberville Parish, Pointe Coupee Parish and East and West Feliciana parishes.The Tiger Bar, located at 1003 Bob Petit Blvd., is one establishment that has not been inspected on a regular basis.In an non-dated letter to the business, La Keisha Theriot, sanitarian parish manager, said The Tiger Bar has not been inspected since Jan. 8, 2003, a violation of the Louisiana Administrative Code.A Tiger Bar manager, who did not give his name, said there was nothing to comment about regarding the lack of inspections.”That was settled six months ago,” the manager said.Theriot, in an Aug. 11 letter to the bar, said the establishment was running without a valid permit because of a non-payment.The Tiger Bar acquired a 2008-2009 permit, after paying a $110 penalty fine.Bombet said The Tiger Bar requires special inspection schedules because it is open after work hours.”I can make assurances that the inspection of this facility will be an immediate priority,” Bombet said.Taco Bell, located on College Drive, was last inspected on July 17, 2007, after a man filed a complaint to the LDHH.The man said his wife and children found blood in their food.The whole line of food was stripped, and the tables were sanitized as soon as Taco Bell management was aware of the blood, according to a July 18, 2007, inspection report.University food establishments have also lacked inspections by the state. Tiger Lair in the Student Union was last inspected on Nov. 29, 2007; and Subway, in the basement of Foster Hall, was last inspected on Nov. 21, 2007 before opening to the University community.The LDHH was at the 459 Commons Dining Hall and Outtakes on Jan. 4 as part of a pre-opening inspection.All University food establishments are considered in either the type 3 or type 4 category.Other restaurants and bars in the East Baton Rouge area have also fallen shy of meeting the expected number of inspections.The Chimes Restaurant and Tap Room and Serranos Salsa Company, both located at the University’s North Gates, have not been inspected since Oct. 24, 2007.Winn-Dixie Supermarket on Burbank Drive was last inspected on July 19, without violations that pose a health risk to customers. Walmart Superstore on College Drive was last inspected on Dec. 12, 2007, also without health-risk violations.Restaurants including Pluckers Wing Bar, Mellow Mushroom, Izzo’s Illegal Burrito and Walk-Ons Bistreaux and Bar have all been inspected by the LDHH in the last six months.Splash, a dance club on Highland Road, was last inspected on May 15 without any violations.Bombet said while some restaurants are not being inspected on a regular basis by the state, they are still monitored by other people.”Our food-safety issues are so low because not only do we have the luxury of following federal guidelines, but we also have the benefit of chain-type stores that have their own food-safety personnel,” Bombet said.Bombet said a few issues customers might face with lack of inspections are pest control, sewage issues and food handling.Bombet said the Food Safety Program is working hard to educate people about food safety.”Sometimes you’re getting somebody with a high school background without food safety understanding,” Bombet said. “If they don’t have an understanding of food safety, where does that lead us? You have people running through these fast food chain lines getting served by someone who has no understanding of food safety.”—-Contact J.J. Alcantara at [email protected]