In the past month, state and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and grocery stores for hundreds of food-safety violations. (Photo by Clark Kauffman/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past four weeks, including serious offenses related to sushi preparation, moldy food and “body parts of a wild deer” that were found in one eatery’s freezer.
The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are some of the more serious findings that stem from inspections at Iowa restaurants, stores, schools, hospitals and other businesses over the past four weeks.
The state inspections department reminds the public that their reports are a “snapshot” in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment. For a more complete list of all inspections, along with additional details on each of the inspections listed below, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals’ website.
Hy-Vee Foods, 420 Court Ave., Des Moines — During a Feb. 21 visit, a state inspector cited this store for 10 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number, and concluded the person in charge was unable to demonstrate knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code as evidenced by the number of violations related to employee training, cross-contamination prevention, hand washing, cleaning and sanitizing, and food-safety written procedures and plans.
In addition, at least one of the workers designated as the person in charge was not a certified food protection manager.
The inspector observed that the store’s Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points binder — typically used to log information tied to the safe production of sushi — did not contain any of the required parasite destruction documents from 2024. In addition, the store did not maintain the approved variance for the acidification of sushi rice, and it did not appear to be complying with all parts of the HACCP plans and procedures. For example, the manager was to verify the pH-level logs at the end of each shift, but none of the documents from the last six months had been signed by management.
Also, sushi workers were not waiting the required 15 minutes before testing pH levels, and were not following other, specific time parameters outlined in the plan when acidifying sushi rice. “When reviewing the last several months of sushi rice records, a number of areas are not completely filled out,” the inspector reported, noting missing signatures, dates and columns or rows that were missing the numeric values that should have been recorded. When questioned, a sushi worker could not describe for the inspector what to do — such as discarding rice — when specific testing parameters for pH levels were not met.
The inspector also reported that several food items throughout the store had been held past their seven-day limit, including deviled eggs that had a discard date of Feb. 19, and several items in the deli department, such as sandwiches and various spreads or cream cheeses that were dated Feb. 18.
Also, the floor mixer and the microwave oven in the bakery department were visibly soiled with a buildup of what appeared to be food debris, and raw, ground Italian sausage was being stored directly over ready-to-eat olives in the meat department cooler, risking cross-contamination.
“Discussed with the firm regaining active managerial control of the facility by correcting all violations noted in the report,” the inspector reported. “This may include, but is not limited to, the following actions: additional training, repairing broken equipment, increased cleaning frequency, and additional oversight of the sushi production and recordkeeping.”
The inspector also advised the store to register all employees who are designated as a person in charge for a certified food protection manager course by March 3, 2025. The inspector also discussed with the firm the “re-training all sushi employees and managers.”
El Charro, 514 Main St., Pella — During a March 18 visit, this restaurant was cited for 10 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number. A state inspector found several prepared and pre-portioned food items in the freezer without any preparation dates to ensure their freshness and safety. Also, sliced steak on the flat-top grill was measured at 95 degrees and had to be reheated to at least 165 degrees before being moved to a hot-holding unit.
In addition, house-made salsa was left sitting out at 54 degrees; knives stored as “clean” in the knife rack were marred by a buildup of food debris; employees were seen handling raw food items and then assembling tacos without washing their hands between tasks; and the ice machine had what appeared to be a buildup of “mold-like debris.”
The inspector also noted that raw shrimp, beef and chicken were all left out to thaw at room temperature; fly traps hanging throughout the kitchen had multiple dead insects adhered to them; several food items were left uncovered throughout the walk-in freezer and cooler, risking contamination; and clean mop heads were stored on top of avocados and an open container of chips.
El Dorado, 112 SE 2nd St, Cedar Rapids — During a March 18 visit, this restaurant was cited for 13 risk-factor violations, an exceptionally high number. A Linn County inspector noted that there was no certified food protection manager with any management responsibility on site.
In his written report, the inspector wrote that “all handwashing sinks in the kitchen, bar, and downstairs next to the ice machine are spoiled on sight and touch” and were in need of cleaning. Also, cut lemons and limes were not been kept chilled; there was no sanitizer prepared or being used in the kitchen or the bar, and cutting boards, food-preparation tables, refrigerators and other equipment were soiled with debris of some kind.
The inspector also reported that cooked rice was being kept at 110 degrees in a warmer intended for chips, and “all cooking equipment” was described as “covered with greasy debris.” The inspector also observed that ready-to-eat foods were not date-marked to ensure freshness and safety.
Fire Creek Grill, 800 S. 50th St., West Des Moines — During a March 12 visit, a state inspector found a package of Parmesan cheese with a buildup of “mold-like debris” covering the package. Inside a walk-in cooler, the inspector found salad dressings and whipped butter that had been stored uncovered and which contained a buildup of “dust-like debris.” Also, raw eggs on the cook line were measured at 78 degrees, and wet batter was measured at 76 degrees. The eggs and batter were then discarded.
In addition, a package of cheese was dated Feb. 13, 2023, more than two years’ prior to the date of inspection, and house-made garlic butter was dated Feb. 26, 2025. The inspector also observed that the walls in the server area near the kitchen were chipped and gouged, and the walls of the walk-in cooler — as well as the cooler’s floor, ceiling and shelving — were heavily soiled with a buildup of food debris and “a mold-like substance.”
Masala, 9 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City — During a March 12 visit, a Johnson County inspector cited the restaurant for 12 risk-factor violations, an exceptionally high number, and concluded the person in charge was unable to demonstrate knowledge of food-borne illnesses, staff hygiene, sanitizing, time-and-temperature controls used for food safety, or the hazards associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked food.
In addition, the person in charge was not a certified food protection manager.
The inspector noted that the cold buffet line was holding food at 56 degrees, rather than 41 degrees or colder. As a result, kheer, raita, gulab jamun and tamarind chutney were discarded. In addition, the walk-in cooler was holding food at 56 degrees, resulting in multiple bins of raw chicken, as well as multiple five-gallon buckets of masala sauce and curry sauce, being discarded.
The inspector also noted that access to the kitchen handwashing sink was obstructed, and the sink itself had no hand soap and was littered with diced food debris, indicating it wasn’t used strictly for handwashing. Also, the handles to the food-prep coolers were covered in food debris and grease, as were the vents over a cooking apparatus.
“The kitchen floor between and behind the grills and cook-tops are covered in grease,” the inspector reported. “The food-contact surfaces inside the kitchen microwave are visibly dirty with food debris.”
Asian Snack Shack, 504 Erie St., Storm Lake — During a March 11 visit, a state inspector cited the restaurant for storing raw meats above ready-to-eat pasta, risking cross contamination. Also, food items inside the reach-in cooler were not labeled with the dates of preparation to ensure freshness and safety. In addition, the dough mixer was visibly dirty and the kitchen ceiling was in disrepair.
Crave, 1110 Larsen Park Road, Sioux City — During a March 11 visit, a Siouxland District Health Department inspector observed an employee handling ready-to-eat lettuce with their bare hands and noted that food – including various cheeses, sliced melons and lemon butter – were holding at 50 degrees.
Also, garlic lemon butter and cooked ribs had been held for longer than maximum of seven days, although the inspector didn’t state how much longer. In addition, the dishwasher in the bar area didn’t have the required amount of sanitizing solution, and the ice machine in the bar storage room area was visibly dirty.
Hyatt Regency, 300 E. 9th St., Coralville — During a March 11 visit, a Johnson County inspector found multiple expired house-made sauces — including mustard dated March 4, garlic aioli dated March 1, squash puree and ragu dated Feb. 25 — that had been held past their seven-day maximum.
Also, raw burgers were stored above sliced potatoes, and raw steak was stored above au jus sauce, risking cross-contamination. The inspector also noted that cooked shrimp and cut tomatoes prepared more than 24 hours prior to the inspection lacked any labels with their dates of preparation. Due to some of the violations being repeat offenses, a warning letter was issued.
Franklin School, 1315 W. Main St., Marshalltown — During a March 6 visit by a state inspector, this elementary school was cited for six risk-factor violations. The inspector noted that the “person in charge and staff were unable to explain food-borne illness diagnosis that require reporting” to the state, and were unable to describe symptoms associated with food-borne illness.
Also, the pork patties “in the hot box shipper” were measured at 119 to 129 degrees — not hot enough to ensure their safety — and so the remaining patties at the end of lunch service were discarded. Also, packages of cut melon on the serving line were measured at 51 degrees and warmer, and cartons of milk were measured at 46 degrees and warmer. The cut melon was discarded, while the milk was returned to a cooler.
“Hot and cold foods are placed on the serving line with no means of temperature control,” the inspector noted, adding that one food-service worker had long, shoulder-length hair that was not restrained as required.
Little Sioux Event Center, 201 E. Linden St., Cherokee — During a March 6 visit, a Siouxland District Health Department inspector observed two employees handling ready-to-eat buns and cooked chicken with their bare hands. Also, a cheese-based soup that had been cooked the day before the inspection was inside one of the coolers and holding at 48 degrees, having yet to reach the required temperature of 41 degrees or colder.
In addition, various items in the salad-preparation cooler — including shredded lettuce, cheese and dressings — were holding at 55 to 57 degrees and had to be discarded. The inspector also found food items — including macaroni and cheese, baked potatoes and cooked chicken — that were not date-marked to ensure freshness and safety. With regard to the food items that were dated, the inspector found some of the items — including pizza sauce, house-made coleslaw and cheese-based sauces — had been held for more than the maximum of seven days.
El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant, 100 W. South St., Mount Ayr — During a March 4 visit, a state inspector found “body parts of a wild deer” inside a walk-in freezer. The deer parts were discarded.
In addition, several house-made salsas and queso were in the coolers holding at temperatures between 45 and 49 degrees, rather than 41 degrees or colder. In addition to those items, the inspector found sour cream holding at 48 degrees, lettuce at 45 degrees, pulled chicken at 45 degrees and chile rellenos at 47 degrees. All of the items were discarded.
“No date-markings on any of the cooked or prepared foods in the entire facility,” the inspector noted, adding that there was no detectable amount of chlorine sanitizer in the dishwasher. “Shrimp was observed thawing in a bucket of standing water,” the inspector reported.
The visit was in response to an illness complaint of an unspecified nature. The inspector concluded the complaint unverified.
Hy-Vee Foods, 910 N. Jefferson St., Indianola — During a Feb. 28 visit, a state inspector observed that the hot rotisserie chicken in an end-cap display near the check-out line was holding the chicken 125 to 126 degrees, which was not hot enough to ensure its safety. The chicken was discarded.
Also, whole muscle beef was improperly stored below ground bison and ground beef in a display case, and several cold items in a deli cooler were being held at temperatures above 41 degrees, including turkey breast, chicken salad, salsa and egg salad, all of which were discarded. The inspector also observed that the ice machine in the coffee area had what appeared to be a buildup of mold in the ice-dispensing chute.
Potros Garcia, 2804 N. Court St., Ottumwa — During a Feb. 26 visit, a state inspector cited this restaurant for 10 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number, and concluded the person in charge was not following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code as evidenced by number of violations and repeat offenses found.
The inspector observed that raw ground beef was stored above ready-to-eat broccoli and carrots, risking cross-contamination. Also, there appeared to be no process in place to date-mark any of the foods to ensure freshness and safety, and the inside of one cooler had a buildup of “a black, mold-like substance.” The restaurant last underwent a routine inspection in June 2022.
Casa Tequila Authentic Mexican Grill, 1100 Andersen Place, Tiffin — During a Feb. 25 visit, a Johnson County inspector cited this establishment for 11 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number, and observed that chicken was being cooked to an internal temperature of only 95 degrees. The chicken was returned to the grill and cooked until it reached the minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.
In addition, house-made chipotle sauce had no date markings to ensure freshness and safety; house-made salsa and a house-made chicken dish were each dated Feb. 18 had been held for more than the maximum of seven days; and pesticides not labeled for use in the food-service industry were present in the building.
Also, peppers were being stored uncovered within a freezer, risking contamination. Due to the repeat nature of some violations, the Johnson County Public Health Department issued a warning letter.
Jack’s Pho House, 802 S. 3rd Ave., Marshalltown — During a Feb. 24 visit, a state inspector cited this establishment for 10 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number, and noted that the restaurant did not have a certified food protection manager on staff.
The inspector reported that portions of cooked rice were being stored at the room temperature of 71 degrees, and house-made sauces were not date-marked with either their production date or discard date. Also, pots of pho broth were left to cool on the stove top between food-service periods, with no temperature monitoring or refrigeration. In addition, rice noodles and wonton wrappers were left to thaw at room temperature in a storage room, and the scoops used to portion mixes for teas and drinks were stored in a container of standing water.
The inspection was prompted by a non-illness complaint regarding poor personal hygiene among the staff. The complaint was deemed unverified. The inspector gave the restaurant six months, until Aug. 21, 2025, to have a certified food protection manager on staff.
According to state records, Jack’s Pho House was last inspected by the state in October 2020 when a remote, pre-opening inspection was conducted.