Food inspectors noted the following critical violations, ranked in order of occurrence, during inspections in Salt Lake County. The list is extracted from a Deseret News analysis of the 30,156 inspection reports in a Health Department database between July 1997, when new inspection procedures were implemented, and September 1999.
* No food-handlers permit or unable to demonstrate food-safety knowledge............................2,453
* Employee cleanliness,primarilyhand-washing.......................................................................1,935
* Plumbing fixtures not properly installedormaintained.............................................................1,825
* Cross-contamination, such as raw meat stored over prepared foods......................................1,635
* Methods for containing hot,coldfoods..................................................................................1,376
* Lack of sanitation of equipment, like linensanddishwashers.................................................1,172
* Improper labeling or storage of poisonous or toxic items, like pesticides or soaps.......................980
* Plumbing cross-connections.......................................................................................................708
* Improper cooling of foods, such as rice, refried beans or meats used in stir-fry..........................694
* Excessive bare-hand contactwithfood......................................................................................437
* Inadequate food-source information, primarily regarding shellfish and sushi.................................352
* Improper "use-by" dating, labeling onpreparedfoods..................................................................235
* Pest control..................................................................................................................................235
* Not restricting, excludingillemployees..........................................................................................234
* Plumbing, wastes andwatersources............................................................................................177
* Food-thawingpractices.................................................................................................................151
* Re-heating temperatures, particularly forhazardousfoods.............................................................108
* Cooking temperatures, primarilyformeats.........................................................................................52