SPRING HOUSE/CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, THE

Inspection summary

SPRING HOUSE/CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, THE has been inspected 7 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since January 25, 2007. The most recent inspection, on July 25, 2012, recorded 1 infraction.

2 of 7 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: Pests, Cleaning and sanitizing and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.

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.

• PestsHigher risk

  Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.

  Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 6, 2010. For example: Adequate, leakproof, non-absorbent, vermin-proof, covered containers not provided where needed

• 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 across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 6, 2010. For example: Improper use and storage of clean, sanitized equipment and utensils

• 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 once on June 9, 2011. For example: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs

• 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 August 6, 2010. For example: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)

• 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 August 18, 2009. For example: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures

About this data

These results come from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), 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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