A Ma's Kitchen and Pho

Inspector notes: Observed an employee don and adjust a face mask with gloved hands before returning to prepare soup for service to customers. Discussed the importance of proper hand washing and when hand washing is required with the person-in-charge (PIC). Hands must be washed at any time contamination occurs and when changing tasks. Employee properly washed hands at handwash sink at time of inspection

Inspector notes: Observed raw thinly sliced beef stored above raw shelled eggs and ready-to-eat noodles, peanut sauce, and cooked chicken in the glass door cooler. All raw animal proteins must be stored below ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and stored according to cooking temperature at all times to prevent cross contamination. PIC properly stored all raw animal proteins according to the final cooking temperature based on the cooking parameters in § 3-401.11 of the Food Code

Inspector notes: Observed an non-commercial boiling water dispenser for tea and coffee with a direct water connection and no backflow. Per PIC, the boiler was added approximately 2 months prior. All water connected, non-carbonated beverage dispensers must have an approved backflow device such as an inline dual check meeting ASSE 1022 standards. Since the boiler is not NSF or equivalent and a backflow is needed, the PIC disconnected the boiler at the time of inspection

Inspector notes: No date marking observed on TCS foods in the walk in and reach in coolers that had been prepared more than 24 hours prior including cooked beef, beef tendon, chicken, pork, meatballs, and cooked onion. Per PIC, the beef, onions tendon were prepared 1/12. PIC stated all other foods were previously prepared, frozen, and placed in the cooler last night. All RTE/TCS foods were properly date marked at the time of inspection. RTE/TCS foods requiring date marking must be date marked within 24 hours and sold or discarded after 7 days (including the day it was made as day 1)

Inspector notes: Observed ROP (reduced oxygen packaging) beef and pork in the glass door refrigerator and freezer. PIC stated they are no longer ROP sealing TCS foods but have some frozen foods which were still in ROP packaging. No date marks observed on any ROP sealed foods. PIC stated all foods were sealed more than 48 hours prior. All procedures in approved variance/HACCP plan must be conformed to at all times. A variance/HACCP must be obtained prior to conducting any specialized processes. Variance/HACCP applications are available through the customer portal "Permit Center" at https://maricopacountyaz-energovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/selfservice#/home. Additional resources can be found at https://www.maricopa.gov/3978/Food-Variances. A re-inspection will be conducted on 1/23/2026 to ensure all ROP sealing has ceased or is in compliance with the 48 hour exemption

Inspector notes: Observed a plastic wrapped metal colander of cooling cooked chicken the PIC stated finished cooking 2 hours prior before air cooling and placing in the walk in cooler. Observed more than 12" of cooling chicken with internal temperatures ranging form 61*F on the outside at 91*F, internally. Also observed a tightly wrapped plastic container of cooling charred onions with internal temperatures ranging from 103-120*F, internally. Per PIC, the onions had been cooling for approximately 1 hour. TCS foods must be cooled in: uncovered/loosely covered, shallow containers less than 4 inches deep, in equipment designed to rapidly cool, by using an ice bath, by using ice as an ingredient, or another effective means. All TCS foods being cooled in deep containers were transferred to shallow containers to allow for rapid cooling

Inspector notes: Establishment has added a high temperature dishwasher but does not have an irreversible temperature measuring device (min/max thermometer) to verify sanitizing temperatures. Sanitizing using high temperature warewashing machines requires an irreversible measuring device to ensure food contact surfaces reach 160°F. Provide approved irreversible measuring device prior to re-inspection

Inspector notes: Observed food debris on food processing equipment stored as cleaned including the back of the meat slicer blade guard, the blade of a non-NSF rotary veggie slicer, and the cutting and non-cutting portions of the non-NSF green onion slicer. All food-contact surfaces must be cleaned to sight and touch. PIC relocated all food-contact surfaces to warewashing area to be washed, rinsed, and sanitized at the time of inspection

Inspector notes: No timestamp on TCS foods held on time as a control including rice noodles at 73*F, vermicelli noodles at 52*F, round rice noodles at 48*F. Per PIC, all noodles were removed at 8:30am and the clock on the register is used to monitor the time. Also observed fried spring rolls measuring 103-130*F held over the fryer. Per PIC, the spring rolls are frequently ordered and cooked twice in batches before serving. In the back kitchen, observed premade shrimp spring rolls, cut lettuce, cut cabbage, raw bean sprouts, cooked rice noodles, pork and beef that had been removed from the cooler at 9am. Observed the ingredients with internal temperatures ranging from 58-67*F when measured with a probe thermometer. No timestamp or discard time was observed recorded for any food held on TAC in the establishment. Establishment was unable to provide a time as a control policy. Must provide written time as a control procedures prior to re-inspection. All TCS foods being held under time as a control were properly time stamped at time of inspection. Time as a Public Health Control requires written procedures detailing process for Time as a Public Health Control and time-stamping for items actively held under Time as a Public Health Control

Inspector notes: In the reach in freezer, observed 14 bags of cooked beefballs in reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) with a date mark of 09/15/2025 and 15 bags of cooked beef in reduced oxygen packaging with no date marking. Person in charge (PIC) stated items are prepared and packaged by a different location FD2501385. Location does not have an approved HACCP/variance for ROP. A variance/HACCP must be obtained prior to conducting any specialized processes. Variance/HACCP applications are available through the customer portal "Permit Center" at https://maricopacountyaz-energovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/selfservice#/home. Additional resources can be found at https://www.maricopa.gov/3978/Food-Variances. All food must be obtained from an approved source as defined by law. All food in ROP was discarded at time of inspection

Inspector notes: Observed a large plastic container of pre-portioned noodles held using time as a control at the cooks line with no discard time indicated. Person in charge stated items were removed from cooler 1 hours prior. Time as a Public Health Control requires written procedures detailing process for Time as a Public Health Control and time-stamping for items actively held under Time as a Public Health Control. TCS foods being held under time as a control were properly time stamped at time of inspection

Inspector notes: Observed open employee beverage with no lid above the food prep area across from the cooktop. To ensure food safety, prevent physical contamination and the transmission of disease; employee eating, drinking, beverage storage, and using tobacco must be done in an approved area. Person in charge (PIC) moved employee consumables to the designated area and will retrain on proper eating, drinking, and tobacco use