McDonald’s Restaurant on North Lake Avenue Closed by Health Department

Pasadena’s Health Department has closed the McDonald’s Restaurant at 744 N. Lake Avenue after a complaint investigation resulted in inspectors finding a cockroach infestation in the kitchen.

“A complaint was received by this department alleging a cockroach was inside a bag of food,” Rachel Janbek, Acting Division Manager at the Health Department’s Environmental Health Division, said in an email. “The facility was instructed to contact the Health Department once all signs of the infestation are eliminated.”

In a routine inspection on February 8, health department personnel noted two major violations of the municipal health code in the restaurant. One was the presence of live and dead cockroaches in the facility, and the other was the improper storage temperature for potentially hazardous food in the facility, a city report said.

The report noted that “liquid egg whites and liquid eggs” were holding at 60 degrees when health standards say they should be held at 41 degrees and below.

The restaurant stayed open with a rating of 89 after that report.

One week later, on Tuesday, February 16, 2016, a customer complaint generated a new investigation which showed the same level of cockroach infestation now in food storage areas, and the facility was given a fail grade of 70.

The report also mentioned the observation of “a heavy accumulation of cockroach feces on walls where bread is located.”

Both situations are considered major violations of the municipal health code. Violations become major when they are seen as “critical risk factor violations that pose the highest risk of causing food poisoning or foodborne illness,” says the investigation report.

Janbek, Acting Division Manager at the Health Department’s Environmental Health Division, confirmed the closure order after Tuesday’s inspection.

The restaurant’s management was advised to make the necessary corrections, including immediate pest control measures after the inspection date, removal of live or dead cockroaches and sanitation of areas where cockroach feces have been observed, and sealing of all holes, cracks and crevices within the facility.

Janbek said any results of the re-inspection will be released as soon as possible. Sher said the restaurant’s management has requested a re-inspection today, February 18.