TAQUERIA LOS ARELLANO
259 EAST MAIN STREET, Middletown, NY 10940 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)
Inspection summary
TAQUERIA LOS ARELLANO has been inspected 18 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since July 11, 2022. The most recent inspection, on July 10, 2026, recorded 2 infractions.
5 of 18 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 9 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Protecting food from contamination and Chemicals and toxic substances.
The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.
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 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 15 times across 10 separate inspections, most recently on July 10, 2026. For example:
Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
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 6 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on April 7, 2026. 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)
Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk
Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.
Recorded 6 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on April 7, 2026. For example:
Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
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 6 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on July 3, 2024. For example:
Insects, rodents present
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 December 7, 2023. For example:
Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
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.
18 inspections
- Re-Inspection
2 infractions
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 7A: All poultry, poultry stuffings, stuffed meats and stuffings containing meat are not heated to 165�F or above.
- Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Re-Inspection
4 infractions
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 8A: 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)
- Not Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 8A: 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)
- Not Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
2 infractions
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 8A: 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)
- Not Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: 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)
- Not Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Re-Inspection
2 infractions
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
- Not Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Re-Inspection
3 infractions
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
- Not Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Re-Inspection
1 infraction
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Inspection
5 infractions
- 8A: 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)
- Not Critical Violation
- 5E: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
- Critical Violation
- 8D: Single service items reused, improperly stored, dispensed, not used when required
- Not Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 8A: 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)
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
5 infractions
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Not Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Not Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 2E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
- Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 2E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
5 infractions
- 8A: 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)
- Not Critical Violation
- 12B: Improperly functioning on-site sewage disposal system, improper
- Not Critical Violation
- 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
- Not Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: 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)
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 12B: Improperly functioning on-site sewage disposal system, improper
- Not Critical Violation
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Not Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 12B: Improperly functioning on-site sewage disposal system, improper
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