LA COCINA

Inspection summary

LA COCINA has been inspected 3 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since May 31, 2018. The most recent inspection, on June 8, 2018, found no infractions.

1 of 3 inspections on record found no infractions at all. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Food temperature control 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.

• 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 7, 2018. For example: FOOD PROTECTED DURING STORAGE, PREPARATION, DISPLAY, SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION

• 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 June 7, 2018. For example: SANITIZING RINSE FOR EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS: CLEAN, PROPER TEMPERATURE, CONCENTRATION, EXPOSURE TIME

• 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 once on May 31, 2018. For example: DISH WASHING FACILITIES: PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED, MAINTAINED, INSTALLED, LOCATED AND OPERATED

• Other findingsLower risk

  Findings that do not fit the categories above, such as follow-ups that confirm an earlier violation was corrected, or requirements specific to this type of facility.

  Recorded once on May 31, 2018. For example: ADEQUATE NUMBER, CONVENIENT, ACCESSIBLE, DESIGNED, AND MAINTAINED

About this data

These results come from Chicago Department of Public Health, 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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