Sushi 101

Inspector's notes

Observed non-working quat test strips in the establishment at time of inspection. Establishment utilizes quat to sanitize food contact surfaces. Test strips are required for any sanitizers used with food contact surfaces. Provide sanitizer test strips prior to re-inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection on 3/19.

Inspector's notes

Observed employee handle soiled dishes and begin to put away sanitized dishes without washing hands prior. Also observed another employee rinse gloves at handsink and turn off faucet with gloves. Discussed the importance of proper hand washing and when hand washing is required with the person-in-charge (PIC). Hands must be washed at any time contamination occurs and when changing tasks. Changing gloves cannot be used in lieu of handwashing. Employees properly washed hands at handwash sink and dishes were re-sanitized at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed hand sink near restroom leaking from drainage piping when turned on. All plumbing must be maintained in good repair at all times. Must repair all plumbing to a state of good repair prior to re-inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection on 3/10/25.

Inspector's notes

Observed employee come in from outside and immediately start handling clean dishes from the warewashing machine without washing their hands. Discussed the importance of proper hand washing and when hand washing is required with the person-in-charge (PIC). Hands must be washed at any time contamination occurs and when changing tasks. Person in charge had an employee explain to the employee that they must wash their hands when they come in from outside. Person in charge indicated they would train staff on when to wash their hands. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Oberved coffee maker and hoodies/jackets in warewashing area hand sink. Handwash sinks must be supplied with hot water of at least 100°F, soap and an approved hand drying provision at all times. Facilities must be maintained in a condition that promotes handwashing. Person in charge (PIC) was informed that hand sinks must be maintained so accessible at all times and not used for other purposes than handwashing. All items were removed from the hand sinks. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed raw whole shelled quail eggs and raw fish roe stored ready to eat mayo sauce and siracha. Also observed raw sushi fish stored directly above ready to eat rice and tofu. All raw animal proteins must be stored below ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and stored according to cooking temperature at all times to prevent cross contamination. PIC properly stored all raw animal proteins according to the final cooking temperature based on the cooking parameters in § 3-401.11 of the Food Code. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed container stored in clean dish area with pieces of food debris and oil on it. PIC threw the containers away. Also observed vegetable spiralizer with orange food debris on it. Person in charge indicated this equipment was not used today and they are waiting to replace parts on it. Spiralizer was placed in the warewashing area to be rewashed, rinsed, and sanitized. Clean food contact surfaces must be clean to the sight and touch; harmful organisms may grow on food debris left of food contact surfaces after they are cleaned, and food debris may also attract pests. Employee re-washed, rinsed, and sanitized the dicer. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed several damp cloths on prep tables not stored in sanitizer bucket. All wet wiping cloths must be stored in sanitizer buckets with approved sanitizer concentrations. Wiping cloths were placed in sanitizer buckets with approved sanitizer concentrations at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to next routine inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed dishwasher with 0 ppm of chlorine on the dishes just run through the machine. The machine was run again, and 0 ppm of chlorine was observed on the dishes. Discussed the importance of proper sanitizer levels and proper monitoring of sanitizer levels. It was determined the plug on the chorine container was not sealed; the plug was sealed, and the machine was primed and on the next run 50 ppm of chlorine was observed on the dishes. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed the following time/temperature controlled for safety foods with internal temperature between 48*F - 56*F in the small reach in refrigerator behind the bar: cooked shrimp, cooked sweet egg, masago, raw salmon, raw yellow tail, raw spicy tuna, cut tomatoes, and marinated raw tomatoes. The measured ambient temperature of the unit was 50.9*F using a min/max thermometer. The person in charge indicated these foods had been in the unit for more than 4 hours before inspection and they did not take internal temperatures within those 4 hours. All TCS foods improperly cold held were discarded by PIC at time of inspection. Also observed raw tuna, raw yellow tail, raw salmon, and cooked eel with internal temperatures 48*F - 52*F in the sushi prep units; these foods were placed in the freezer to rapidly cool back down to 41*F and below. Person in charge indicated these foods had been in the unit for 40 minutes or less. Discussed ensuring these foods are placed into the unit at 41*F and below because the units had measured ambient temperature of 38*F and below. Except during preparation, cooking, cooling or when time is used as a control all TCS foods must be maintained at 41°F or below. Eggs not treated to destroy Salmonellae can be stored in equipment that maintains an ambient air temperature of 45°F or below. All TCS foods improperly cold held were relocated to alternative functioning refrigeration unit to rapidly cool to 41°F at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed cooked sushi rice with an internal temperature of 75*F with no label indicating when it was made. An employee indicated it was made at 09:00 am (~3 hours before inspection); per the establishment's time as a control policy any unmarked containers must be discarded. The employee discarded the rice at time of inspection and made new rice. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Inspector's notes

Observed the following time/temperature controlled for safety foods with internal temperature between 48*F - 56*F in the small reach in refrigerator behind the bar: cooked shrimp, cooked sweet egg, masago, raw salmon, raw yellow tail, raw spicy tuna, cut tomatoes, and marinated raw tomatoes. The measured ambient temperature of the unit was 50.9*F using a min/max thermometer. The person in charge indicated these foods had been in the unit for more than 4 hours before inspection and they did not take internal temperatures within those 4 hours. Cold holding equipment must have the capacity to maintain TCS foods at 41°F or below. Must repair cold holding equipment such that it maintains TCS foods at 41°F or below. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection on 07/19/24.

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-302.11 (A1-2), P: Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation, Packaging, and Segregation; Protection From Cross Contamination. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4621/AMC-Toolbox---Cross-Contamination.>>>Observed a pan of ground raw tuna stored directly above a box of edamame in the walk-in cooler. The raw ground tuna was place below the edamame on a shelf above raw chicken. Also observed non-hermetically sealed packages of raw fish stored on top of a hermetically sealed packaged of raw fish directly on top of a box of raw broccoli. The raw fish was moved to a shelf above raw chicken. Discussed with the person in possibly labeling shelves in the walk-in to help employees with proper storage of foods in the walk-in. It is important to separate foods in a ready-to-eat form from raw animal foods during storage, preparation, holding and display to prevent them from becoming contaminated by pathogens that may be present in or on the raw animal foods. It is also important to separate different raw animal foods from each other during storage, preparation, holding and display due to the different cooking temperatures necessary to kill potential pathogens specific to those raw animal foods. Always store ready to eat food next to or above raw animal foods and stored raw animal foods next to or vertically based off of their final cooking temperature (i.e. if the final cooking temperature is higher store them on the lowest shelfs). A storage chart was provided at time of inspection. Correct By: Corrected At Time Of Inspection

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.16(A)(2) and (B), P: Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Cold Holding. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4576/AMC-Toolbox---Cold-Holding.>>>Observed the following time/temperature controlled for safety foods in the refrigerated prep unit next to the stove in the kitchen with internal temperatures between 45*F - 46*F: raw chicken, pre-cooked noodles, seaweed salad, and stuffed wontons. The person in charge indicated these foods had been in the unit for ~1 hour before inspection and they had been stored in the walk-in cooler over night; Person in charge indicated the foods may have been left out of refrigeration too long when being moved from the walk-in cooler to the refrigerated prep unit. The measured ambient temperature of the unit using a min/max 36.3*F. Internal temperatures were observed 30 minutes later and they were between 44*F - 45*F; Person in charge was instructed to monitor the temperatures and if the internal temperatures do not return to 41*F and below within the hour they must move these foods back to the walk-in cooler to rapidly cool back down to 41*F. Person in charge indicated they would check internal temperatures again and move the food. Bacterial growth and/or toxin production can occur if time/temperature control for safety food remains in the temperature "Danger Zone" of 41*F to 135*F too long. Except during preparation, cooking, cooling, or when time is used as a control all Time/Temperature Controlled for Safety foods MUST be maintained at 41°F or less OR 135*F or more. Eggs not treated to destroy Salmonellae can be stored in equipment that maintains an ambient air temperature of 45°F or less. Correct By: Corrected At Time Of Inspection