EMPANADA LOCA

Inspection summary

EMPANADA LOCA has been inspected 3 times by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) since September 16, 2026. The most recent inspection, on September 16, 2026, recorded 1 infraction.

None of the 3 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 16 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food source, labelling and allergens, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Cleaning and sanitizing.

What these findings mean

Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.

• Food source, labelling and allergensHigher risk

  Food must come from approved suppliers, stay in labelled containers and be thrown out when it is spoiled or damaged, such as dented or swollen cans. Labelling matters for allergies: an unlabelled container can hide an allergen.

  Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on September 16, 2026. For example: 16-02: The original nutrition fact labels or ingredient label for a cooking oil, shortening or margarine or food item sold in bulk, or acceptable manufacturer’s documentation not maintained on site.

• Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk

  Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.

  Recorded 2 times on September 16, 2026. For example: No hand washing facility in or adjacent to toilet room or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Hand washing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.

• Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk

  Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.

  Recorded 2 times on September 16, 2026. For example: Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.

• Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk

  This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.

  Recorded once on September 16, 2026. For example: Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

• Food temperature controlHigher risk

  Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.

  Recorded once on September 16, 2026. For example: Commercially processed pre-cooked TCS in hermetically sealed containers and precooked TCS in intact packages from non-retail food processing establishments not heated to 140 °F within 2 hours of removal from container or package.

About this data

These results come from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.

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