From perfect scores to improvement needed. See Columbus restaurant inspection grades

Each month, inspectors from the Georgia Department of Public Health visit restaurants and other establishments in Columbus to check whether proper food handling and safety practices are followed. Inspectors visited over 60 restaurants, lounges and other establishments serving food in Muscogee County during January.

Among them, 25 earned perfect scores, with 37 also receiving an A grade. Six earned a B., and none received a C.

How the grading system works

During inspections, restaurants receive one of four letter grades that are assigned based on how many points are deducted from 100:

• An A grade, for 90-100 points, means food safety is excellent.
• A B grade, for 80-89 points, means satisfactory compliance.
• A C grade, for 70-79 points, means marginal compliance.
• A U grade, for 69 points or less, means unsatisfactory compliance.

Establishments that receive a C or U will have at least one additional routine inspection added in 12 months, according to state law. Earning a B does not constitute a follow-up inspection.

Residents can find information about all inspections at the Georgia Department of Health’s online portal.

Here are the Columbus inspection scores in January, plus the violations, according to the reports from the inspectors.

Restaurants receiving B grades and their violations

• Cook Out, 3189 Manchester Expressway
• Tomatoes and corn dogs are cold-held above 41 degrees.
• Chicken tenders were hot-held below 135 degrees under a heat lamp.
• Dunkin 354772, 6053 Veterans Parkway
• Time/temperature control for safety (TCS): cold-holding of foods at temperatures greater than 41°F in the prep-top cooler in the main kitchen.
• Prep-top cooler turned off, with all food items being cold-held using ice baths, in which case some TCS food items were not cold-holding at the correct temperatures
• JD Wings, 1841 Wynnton Road
• Raw hamburger patties are stored under raw chicken in a reach-in cooler in the main kitchen area.
• Time/temperature foods are hot-holding at temperatures below 135°F.
• The facility uses cardboard boxes on shelving to contain residue from splashing and spilling.
• Kickin Bites, 3150 Macon Road, Suite G
• Several TCS food items are cold-holding at temperatures greater than 41*F in the prep-top cooler in the main kitchen
• McDonald’s #7562, 1338 Veterans Parkway
• Multiple plastic containers on a drying rack with stickers and sticker remnants.
• Folded eggs and Canadian bacon are cold-held above 41 degrees in the main kitchen.
• Multiple food employees are preparing and handling food without proper hair restraints in the main kitchen.
• Saffron, 5300 Sidney Simons Blvd., Suite 27
• Several time/temperature control for safety foods in prep-top cooler and reach-in cooler temperatures above 41°F.
• Prep top and reach-in coolers are not able to keep proper cold-holding temperatures.

What are TCS foods, and why do they matter?

A time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food is any food that needs specific time and temperature controls to prevent harmful bacteria growth.

Per the Georgia Department of Agriculture, key temperature rules are as follows:

• Hold cold foods at 41°F or below.
• Hold hot foods at 135°F or above.
• Reheat foods for hot-holding to 165°F for at least 15 seconds.
• Reheat commercially processed food (from a processing plant) to 135°F for hot-holding.
• Store frozen foods in a frozen condition (hard to the touch).
• Cool properly cooked foods from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and from 135°F to 41°F or less within a total of 6 hours.
• Cool foods to 41°F within 4 hours if prepared from ingredients at room temperature (such as reconstituted foods and canned tuna).
• Reheat food in a microwave oven to 165°F. The food should be rotated or stirred, covered during heating and allowed to stand covered for 2 minutes after reheating.

Not following these guidelines can result in serious risks.

During an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer last year, Danielle Saunders, Columbus environmental health manager for the West Central Health District in the Georgia Department of Public Health, said improper storage and incorrect holding temperatures can increase risks of cross-contamination and sickness.

“If they don’t cook it to the minimum required temperature, there are some associated risks where there are potential hazards for them to get sick,” she said.

Symptoms associated with illness transmitted through food include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice and sore throat with fever, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Restaurants receiving A grades

• Arby’s, 6840 Midland Commons Blvd.
• Big Mama Vietnam Kitchen, 5300 Sidney Simmons Blvd., Unit 14
• Bojangles, 7660 Schomburg Road
• Burger King #12465, 3101 Gentian Blvd.
• Burt’s Butcher Shop & Eatery, 2932 Warm Springs Road
• Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, 7830 Veterans Parkway
• Chester’s Cafe, 100 10th St.
• Church’s Texas Chicken #2108, 6001 Miller Road
• Church’s Texas Chicken, 1805 Hamilton Road
• Ed’s Southern Cooking, 5435 Woodruff Farm Road
• Fountain City Coffee, 1007 Broadway
• Golden Chopstix, 6201 Veterans Parkway
• JB’s Dream Deli, 6361 Talokas Lane, Suite C180
• Jersey Mike’s Subs, 6901 Ray Wright Way, Suite L
• Jersey Mike’s Subs, 4519 Woodruff Road, Suite 3
• King Claw, 1591 Bradley Park Drive, Unit 5
• Little Caesars, 8132 Veterans Parkway, Suite 407
• Lucky Dragon, 5120 F Warm Springs Road
• Metro Diner, 5524 Whitesville Road
• Millhouse Kitchen & Bar, 1801 1st Ave.
• Pho Sai Gon, 2301 Airport Thruway, Suite D11
• Red Lobster #0035, 1425 13th St.
• Shark’s Fish & Chicken, 1810 Wynnton Road
• Shane’s Rib Shack, 7529 Veterans Parkway
• Smoothie King #1440, 1625 Manchester Expressway
• Snack Chabelita, 4475 Warm Springs Road, Suite 3
• Subway Sandwiches, 5600 Milgen Road
• Starbucks, 1591 Bradley Park Drive
• Starbucks, 1702 Manchester Expressway
• Taco Bell, 7150 Beaver Run Road
• Texas Roadhouse, 2970 North Lake Parkway
• Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd., Suite 2960
• Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 6901 Ray Wright Way
• Waffle House #887, 5701 Milgen Road
• Waffle House, 6390 Flat Rock Road
• Zaxby’s, 6190 Bradley Park Drive
• Zaxby’s, 4424 Buena Vista Road

Perfect food safety scores

• 11th and Bay Southern Table, 1050 Bay Ave.
• Cook’s Hot Dogs, 5837 Nancy Ave.
• Dunkin’, 6859 Midland Commons Blvd
• Dunkin’, 1523 Veterans Parkway
• Freaky Fries, 5401 Gunboat Dr., Unit 19
• Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant, 6517 Kitten Lake Drive, Suite 1
• Graze Craze, 1008 Broadway
• Greedy Eatz (Mobile), 5401 Gunboat Drive, Suite 28
• Haru Sushi, 2505 Airport Thruway. Suite B
• Jamey’s Hot Wings, 1908D Floyd Road 4
• JL Japanese Express, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd., Unit L4
• Jordan’s Girls Gourmet Dawgs, 801 Veterans Parkway
• La Cereza Loka, 4606 Hamilton Road, Building 1
• Longhorn Steakhouse of Columbus, 3201 Macon Road
• Mabella, 6835 Midland Commons Blvd.
• McDonald’s #11362, 5628 Milgen Road
• Newk’s Eatery, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd
• Pepper’s Barbecue, 4620 C Warm Springs Road
• Roz’s Cafe & Catering Services, 3418 Buena Vista Road, Suite A
• Smoke Tavern and Grill, 7600 Veterans Parkway
• Sonic Drive-In #4439, 5586 Milgen Road
• Taco Bell, 7330 Veterans Parkway
• Taranovas Pizza, 4640 Warm Springs Rd.
• The 706 Social, 1025 Broadway
• Wendy’s, 5585 Whittlesey Blvd., Building 11