‘Dead pest’ in pan, black & white mold: Charlotte-area restaurant inspections
An east Charlotte restaurant received a “B” grade from the Mecklenburg County Health Department for numerous health violations, including the presence of insects and moldy food.
El Carbonero (4400 Central Ave. in Charlotte) received an 87.5% score during an inspection on Thursday, Jan. 22.
Inspectors cited the restaurant after finding a “dead pest” in a cold pan in a prep unit and a “flying pest” inside a reach-in cooler, county documents show.
The restaurant was also dinged after inspectors discovered “white and black microbial growth” on jalapenos, ketchup and boiled eggs inside a walk-in cooler.
Other violations the restaurant was cited for include:
- Food debris on dishes stored as clean
- Corn, carrots and cabbage improperly date marked
- Multiple squeeze bottles with no labels
- Cokes and waters stored on floor in dry storage area
- Nutribullet that read “for household use only”
This is the restaurant’s third “B” grade. The most recent prior case occurred in August.
Mecklenburg County sanitation scores
The Mecklenburg County sanitation grades database shows that at least 150 restaurant inspections were completed Jan. 16-22.
▪ Most restaurants received an A grade, or a score of at least 90%.
▪ Two restaurants received B grades, or scores of at least 80% but lower than 90%.
▪ Fonda La Taquiza (5135 Albemarle Rd. in Charlotte) received a score of 80.5% during an inspection on Friday, Jan. 16.
- The restaurant was in violation of 25 standards, including raw chicken stored over ready-to-eat foods and food stored on the floor.
- Some violations were corrected during the inspection.
- The restaurant previously scored 95.5% in October.
How to search NC restaurant inspection scores
Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.
You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The News & Observer previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated. According to state law, permits are immediately revoked if a restaurant receives a score of less than 70%.
You can search all restaurant inspections in Mecklenburg County at public.cdpehs.com.
Most common restaurant violations
The Charlotte Observer previously spoke to Adam Dietrich, a local food safety expert, about five of the most common food safety violations restaurants get dinged for during health inspections:
- Handwashing lapses are common: Inspectors frequently cite workers for skipping required handwashing or recontaminating hands, a major risk for spreading illnesses like norovirus, Salmonella and E. coli.
- “Performative” glove use causes problems: Gloves are often misused, either by not changing them between tasks or worn instead of washing hands, which can spread bacteria just as easily as bare hands.
- 41°F is the cold-holding cutoff: The North Carolina Food Code requires cold foods to be held at 41 degrees or below, since bacteria multiply rapidly above that threshold and can reach dangerous levels within hours.
- Improper storage leads to cross-contamination: Limited space and poor organization can result in raw food juices dripping onto other foods, a known cause of outbreaks, prompting strict storage rules in the food code.
- Lack of food safety training costs points: Restaurants are often penalized for missing certifications or inadequate staff training in hygiene, allergens and safe food handling, issues experts say are preventable with proper education.
