On Friday afternoon (Mar. 12), Public Health – Seattle and King County closed the Del Rio Food Store, located at 10230 16th Ave SW in White Center, for the following reasons:

Establishment: Del Rio Food Store

Address: 10230 16th SW, Seattle 98146

Date closed: March 12, 2010, 2:30 pm

Reasons:

• Inadequate handwashing facilities
• Hands not washed
• Handling ready-to-eat foods with bare hands
• Cross contamination not prevented with raw meat storage
• Inadequate hot holding temperatures
• Potentially hazardous foods at room temperature
• Inadequate cold holding temperatures
• Toxic chemicals improperly stored

Status: CLOSED

According to the county website:

Closure information remains online for a period of 7 days after establishment is reopened. To ensure you are viewing the most current information, click the Refresh or Reload button on your Internet browser.

Public Health lists the reason the establishment was closed, whether it has been reopened, and the date it reopened. Reasons for closing a food establishment can vary and include such issues as failure to follow the permit process and unsafe food handling.

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Friday afternoon  (4/24) at 2:45pm, King County’s Public Health Department shut down a second establishment on 16th in White Center, this time a place called Bilisee, located at 9829 16th Ave SW.

Previously, we reported on the closing of Asian Bubble Tea, which is located just next door at 9835 16th Ave SW.

According to the county’s website, Bilisee was “Operating without a valid food business permit” as well.

Here’s the closure notice:

Updated: Monday, April 27, 2009

Establishment: Bilisee

Address: 9829 16th Ave SW, Seattle 98106

Date closed: April 24, 2009, 2:45 pm

Reason: Operating without a valid food business permit

Status: CLOSED

On Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 3rd), King County’s Public Health Department closed Taqueria El Rincon, located at 11066 16th Ave SW (we think this is the taco truck across from McMurphy’s, where we’ve eaten before – street view below),  for the violation of “Wastewater draining to the ground.”

According to the King County website:

Public Health – Seattle & King County helps the food establishment keep the risk of food borne illness low through education and inspections. There are 2 basic causes of food borne illness we want to protect against with safe food handling practices.

1. Contamination of food by food workers’ hands, other foods, or food preparation surfaces. This is why hand washing, no bare hand contact with ready to eat foods and the washing, rinsing and sanitizing of food preparation surfaces is vitally important.
2. Temperature control: Foods that provide a good environment for the growth of the bacteria that cause food borne illness are called potentially hazardous foods. The bacteria grow quickly in “the danger zone,” 41°F to 140°F of these foods. Therefore, these foods must be cooked to temperatures that will kill the bacteria, then kept hot (over 140°) until served, or kept cold (under 41°) until served.

There are some safe food handling practices that, if not done properly, are more likely to lead to food borne illnesses. The inspector specifically observes and documents these food handling practices during the inspection. If any of these most risky practices are not done properly, the establishment is given a red critical violation on the inspection, the risk is taken care of immediately, and the manager is taught the correct procedure or method. Based on the risk caused by the violation, a return inspection and education will be done. Finally, if a food establishment hasn’t improved its practices after additional education and direction, the establishment will be closed.

Reasons for immediate closure of a food service establishment:

• High score on the routine inspection*
• Sewage backing up in kitchen &/or bathroom
• No hot water/running water
• Electricity goes out
• Other imminent health hazards: broken refrigeration, damage caused by accidents or natural disasters, or when establishment is linked to a food borne illness outbreak
• Other: No permit to be operating (The permit assures that they have met all of the structural & equipment requirements for the menu items they are going to serve); the owner/manager interferes with the inspector’s ability to do her/his duties.

*The inspection is based on a 400 point system. The violations are added up between red and blue violations. If the total red critical violations is 90 or more, or the total of red and blue is 120 or more, then the establishment will be closed.

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