A Suwanee restaurant serving Korean barbecue failed its latest health inspection with a score of 63.
The routine inspection was conducted by the Georgia Department of Public Health on April 29 at Cow Wow Korean BBQ at 2850 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, Suite F. During the assessment, the inspector observed the following risk factors contributing to potential foodborne illness outbreaks:
- The person in charge not demonstrating active managerial control
- An employee moving salad mix from container to container with bare hands — except when washing fruits and vegetables, employees should not touch exposed, ready-to-eat food with their bare hands and should use suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves or dispensing equipment
- A lack of signed employee health agreements or any other verifiable manner that employees are aware of and understand the employee health policy
- Cooked rice stored at less than 135 degrees, which is the minimum temperature to maintain the food’s safety
- The restaurant operating without a thermometer to accurately measure internal cooking temperatures
- The restaurant storing multiple buckets and boxes of food items on the floor of the walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer and in the kitchen area — according to the inspection report, food should be protected from contamination by storing it in a clean, dry location at least six inches above the floor where it is not exposed to splash, dust or other contamination
- Several employees handling food while wearing watches and bracelets
- Utensils stored in room-temperature water — According to the report, during pauses in food preparation or dispensing, utensils should be stored in the food with handles above the top of the food and the container, in running water of sufficient velocity to flush particulates to the drain, if used with moist food such as ice cream or mashed potatoes, in a clean, dry container or in a container of water if the water is maintained at a temperature of at least 135 degrees and the container is cleaned regularly
- Employees’ personal items stored throughout the kitchen area and in the meat prep area
- The restaurant’s back door propped open with no protection front insects or rodents entering the establishment
A follow-up inspection for Cow Wow Korean BBQ is scheduled for Tuesday, May 9.