Stony Brook University’s campus dining facilities recently underwent health inspections by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. The inspections, which took place from Oct. 4 through 12, reviewed the facilities for critical violations. According to the Dept. website, this means that ‘critical violations occur[ed] on consecutive inspections, or ‘hellip; result[ed] in a formal administrative hearing.’
While the Kelly Caf’eacute; and Coffee House passed the violations test, other facilities, including the Student Activities Center (SAC) faced multiple violations. It has also come to attention that facilities, including Roth Cafeteria and the Union Deli have not been inspected for more than 12 months. The facilities facing violation charges are pending re-inspection.
The Suffolk County’s Food Control Program attempts to eliminate foodborne diseases through ‘[Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point]-based inspections, prompt investigation of consumer complaints (with allegations of foodborne illness as top priority), mandatory food manager training, standardization of the inspection process, mandatory plan review for all new and remodeled establishments, and litigation of repeat violators of the code.’
Some of the facilities have not been inspected recently. The courtside and chartwell food carts have no critical violations. However, they were last inspected on March 4, 2004, almost a year and a half ago. The Harriman Caf’eacute; was inspected the following day. End of the Bridge restaurant, located in the Stony Brook Union, also has no critical violations. It was last inspected on Sept. 23, 2004.
Roth Cafeteria and the Union Deli were last inspected on Oct. 28, 2005. The Tabler Caf’eacute; and the University Caf’eacute; were checked free of violations since their last inspection 2 years ago. The Wang Center catering service has not been inspected for violations since Jan. 30, 2004.
Some facilities passed the inspections successfully. Kelly Caf’eacute; and Coffee House, which were inspected on Oct. 4, had no critical violations. However, the SAC faced the most violations. According to the health inspection report, ‘Cases of bottled beverages was/ were found stored under and/or within 18 inches of a soil/waste/sewage line or other source of contamination in the basement storage room.’ According to the Department, ‘Even trace amounts of refuse or wastes in rooms used as toilets or for dressing, storing garbage or implements, or housing machinery can become sources of food contamination.’
The Department also had complaints at least’ six times against employees who disposed of their used gloves and re-gloved without proper washing. A female employee was also found to have washed her hands with water and return to work, without proper handwashing using soap. Both the SAC and Jasmine faced violations regarding proper labeling: ‘No consumer advisory is provided for Sushi containing raw fish. Tuna rolls without any advisory and contain raw tuna.’
According to the Department findings, the H Quad Caf’eacute;’s water supply was ‘found not in conformance with Part 5 of the New York State Sanitary Code. A Green House was noted to be connected to a hose bib without an approved backflow prevention device.’ According to the Department website, violation of Part 5 makes the water ‘prone to waterborne diseases.’
The Department’s main complaint with the SAC, which serves 8,000 students per day, was that it is inadequate as a facility. The report said that the administration should ‘at least double to triple the walk-in space needed to allow for rapid cooling, safe storage and pre-chilling of the potentially hazardous foods processed daily.’
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