Published Nov. 21, 2009

By SETH SLABAUGH
seths@muncie.gannett.com

MUNCIE — Inspectors recently found mold, rusty walls and employees handling ready-to-eat food with their bare hands at local restaurants.
Buffalo Wild Wings, Richards Restaurant, Hoosier Pete and IHOP were cited for multiple critical violations of sanitation regulations during recent inspections by the Delaware County Health Department.
A critical violation is more likely than other violations to significantly contribute to food contamination, illness or an environmental health hazard.
Richards, 2601 N. Martin Luther King Boulevard, was cited for three critical and four non-critical violations, including employee drinks stored above unprotected food on the preparation line, a line cook handling ready-to-eat food with bare hands, eggs stored in the temperature danger zone, buildup of grease, food and dust, a leaking dishwasher that caused mold to build up, severely rusted walls and shelves in the walk-in cooler, and open Dumpsters.
In response, the restaurant instructed employees to keep lids on their drinks and away from food; made tongs available on the cook line; cleaned; repaired the leaky dishwasher, promised to replace walls and shelves in the cooler in 90 days, and instructed employees to keep Dumpster lids closed.
The Hoosier Pete at 2535 Hoyt Ave. was cited for four critical and three non-critical violations, including an employee handling ready-to-eat cheese slices with his bare hands, storage of raw hamburger with ready-to-eat lettuce and tomatoes, undated food, cups stored on the floor, and a floor not being clean or in good repair.
The convenience store responded that the hamburger and fixings were being temporarily stored together because a freezer had just broken down, 95 percent of the cups were up off the floor, and there were already plans to repair the floor.
Buffalo Wild Wing’s three critical and three non-critical violations included employees not being unaware of the requirement to stay home if they are suffering from certain illnesses, mold on bar-beverage dispensing wands, no soap or paper towels at a handwashing sink, and a leaking bottle of cleaner in a box with cups.
In response, BW3, 838 E. McGalliard Road, tossed out the cups, filled the hand towel and soap dispenser, cleaned the mold and instructed employees to disassemble, clean and re-assemble the soda guns, and made all employees aware of the illness-reporting policy that is posted on the bulletin board.
IHOP, at 3300 N. Chadam Lane, was cited for a temperature violation in the salad cooler, an unlabeled bottle of liquid in the dishwashing area, and the dishwasher not properly dispensing sanitized solution. The restaurant said it would repair the cooler and dishwasher and labile the bottle.
Lee’s Famous Recipe, 300 W. Memorial Drive, was cited for an abundance of mold growing on a wall beside the three-compartment sink, food scoops not being washed at least once every 24 hours, and a cooler in need of repair.
Other establishments cited  for critical violations: Jack’s Donuts, Yorktown, lack of chlorine sanitizer; GPS Oil Co., 105 W. McGalliard Road, inside of ice machine not clean; Heorot Pub and Draught House, 219 S. Walnut St., reach-in cooler not at correct temperature; Wendy’s, 2620 W. Jackson St., reach-in cooler temperature violation; Marsh Hometown Market, 1900 N., Walnut St., expired baby food; Pete’s Duck Inn, Albany, server did not wash hands after smoking; Denny’s, Daleville, egg temperature violation; Doc’s, 215 S.Walnut St., no certified food handler.
z Contact senior reporter Seth Slabaugh at 213-5834.