LABELLE, FL. -- Two of LaBelle's best known restaurants have received their latest state food safety inspections. Receiving inspections on October 22 were Flora and Ellas and on August 22, the Big V.
Flora and Ella's Restaurant on S.R. 80 is LaBelle's oldest restaurant, originally located on Bridge Street and now in a modern building west of downtown. The latest inspection found seven food safety violations including five "critical." Violations included food stored on the floor, storage of uncovered food, bare hand contact of food (a repeat violation), food preparation without washing hands, no chlorine in wash water.
At the Big V in downtown LaBelle, inspections showed five critical food safety violations. Found were undated food stored more than 24 hours, incorrect food temperatures, storage of uncovered food, food preparation without washing hands, using hand sink for food preparation.
Violation - Observations At Flora and Ella's
08A-28-1 Critical. Observed food stored on floor. Small box of food on floor in dry storage area next to ice machine . Corrected On Site.
08A-29-1 Critical. Observed uncovered food in holding unit/dry storage area. Uncovered chicken in reach-in cooler across from cook line
09-04-1 Critical. Observed bare hand contact of ready-to-eat food by employees and establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure in effect. Employee touched cheese with bare hands. Corrected On Site. Repeat Violation.
10-06-1 In-use utensil not stored with handle above the top of potentially hazardous food and the container. scoop Handle in flour in clear bin by fryers .
12A-16-1 Critical. Observed employee engage in food preparation, handle clean equipment or utensils, or touch unwrapped single-service items, without washing hands. Observed employee change gloves without washing hands .
20A-09-1 Critical. Chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength for manual ware washing. Chlorine sanitizer apprx 0ppm in sanitizer bucket .
26-02-1 Observed reuse of single-service articles. Egg flat trays reused to hold bacon.
Violation - Observation at Big V
02-22-1 Critical. Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on site and held more than 24 hours with not properly date marked. No date marking on premises .
03B-03-1 Critical. Potentially hazardous food not held at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Mashed potatoes at 128F on cook line and hot dog like foods at 110F. Corrected On Site. Heat turned up
08A-29-1 Critical. Observed uncovered food in holding unit/dry storage area. In reach-in coolers .
09-04-1 Critical. Observed bare hand contact of ready-to-eat food by employees and establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure in effect. Observed employee assemble buns for burgers without washing hands and wearing gloves. Corrected On Site.
31-12-1 Critical. Observed hand wash sink used for purposes other than hand washing. Hand sink in back kitchen by back door used to clean potatoes .
April 2010 - Food Safety Inspection Ranking - LaBelle area restaurants:
