Las Palmas receives consumer alert

Las Palmas #2, a Mexican grocery store and food stand on Atwood Street in Oakland, was issued a consumer alert after the discovery of a roach infestation.

The Allegheny County Health Department issued the location a yellow status after observing numerous roaches, alive and dead, during a Jan. 24 health inspection.

This was a re-inspection follow-up of the initial Dec. 20 health inspection of last year, when Las Palmas #2 was cited for violations of cold holding temperatures, cleaning and sanitization, handwashing facilities, pest management and certified food protection manager.

In that assessment, three violations were considered “high-risk.” A violation in cold holding temperatures was a result of food storage at more than 41 degrees, and cleaning and sanitization was cited after an employee was seen rinsing a dirty knife with just water. In the initial inspection, the store was also noted for multiple lurking German roaches.

“One live adult roach was observed walking out of a container of pork rinds,” the December assessment said. “Multiple adult and nymph roaches found near the restroom, near the three-bowl sink, on the door leading toward the hot water tank room, near the slicer and in cracks and crevices on the deli display cooler.”

There were a total of four violations listed during the recent re-inspection, including in the category of waste water disposal for a leaking toilet and in handwashing facilities for no means of washing hands at an outside stand. Of the four, pest management was the only one listed as “high-risk” for the roaches present.

“Multiple dead roaches were observed in the compressors of the merchandising coolers on the whole left side of the store. Number of dead roaches indicate an ongoing infestation of the refrigeration units,” the most recent assessment report said.