Overview
- Maricopa County health inspectors carried out a large sweep in the week of July 6 that inspected about 1,130 restaurants, grocery stores and other food-service sites across metro Phoenix.
- Inspectors cited five restaurants for 26 priority violations that included employees taking food from the trash, touching a customer’s food after picking up items from the floor, and improper handwashing.
- Ten grocery and convenience stores were cited for 11 priority violations, with inspectors finding visibly spoiled milk at Tempe Food Mart and multiple coolers failing to keep perishable items cold.
- During inspections staff threw out contaminated foods, moved and cooled items properly, and instructed on-the-spot fixes, and county records note that repeat violations can lead to stronger enforcement or reinspection orders.
- Many Valley businesses still earned A ratings, but local Dirty Dining reports and repeated findings show recurring operational problems such as personal items on prep surfaces, lack of certified managers, and buildup above fryers that could raise foodborne illness risk.