Two Merced restaurants failed their county health inspections in September. See why

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Improper refrigeration of food products and plumbing issues including a lack of available hot water were among factors that caused failing grades for Merced restaurants during health inspections in September.

Of 72 restaurants, markets, commissaries and other food businesses visited by inspectors from the Merced County Division of Environmental Health, two received “unsatisfactory” ratings because of health violations that were uncovered. That’s down from three failed inspections at food establishments in August.

All three of the businesses that received failing grades in August earned passing scores in their September reinspection visits.

Those that received unsatisfactory scores in September were Quickly, a boba cafe in northeast Merced, and Merced Five Star Burger in central Merced. They will be subject to reinspections to ensure that violations are corrected.

The county gives “good” ratings to businesses with six or fewer violation points, “satisfactory” ratings for seven to 13 violation points, and “unsatisfactory” ratings for 14 or more violation points. Twenty-three food businesses received satisfactory marks in September, and 47 received “good” scores — including 18 where no violations were found.

Summaries of the establishments that failed their inspections are:

• Merced Five Star Burger on Yosemite Parkway near Marthella Avenue in Merced: A Sept. 11 inspection saw determined that the lid was open on a refrigerator holding potentially hazardous food products; cold-holding temperatures must be at 41 degrees or lower for such foods. Hot water at the kitchen’s three-compartment sink was measured at 104 degrees, well short of the 120 degrees required by food-safety regulations. The restaurant also had an empty paper towel dispenser and empty soap dispenser in the kitchen, and a broken hot-water faucet at a kitchen hand-washing sink. The violations represented a total of 22 violation points.

• Quickly, in a shopping center on East Yosemite Avenue at Paulson Road: A Sept. 18 inspection revealed a repeat violation from 2022, a shut-off hot water valve under the kitchen handwashing sink; the restaurant was ordered to repair the hot and cold valves under the sink so that hot water is always available for handwashing. The faucet at the handwashing sink was leaking; an ice machine was in need of cleaning, and the entire kitchen was in need of cleaning. Two uncovered bins of chickens were found in a refrigerator, and the staff were advised to ensure that food in the refrigerator needs to be covered to protect it from possible contamination. The issues added up to 16 violation points.

Merced County’s Environmental Health Division maintains a database of restaurant and food inspections online for public viewing at its web page, www.countyofmerced.com/597/Environmental-Health; click the “Food Inspections” tab along the left side of the page.