A food processor based in Richmond was recently shut down for unsanitary conditions following a routine inspection.
Vancouver Northern Food Inc. at Unit 4 of 3571 Viking Way was slapped with a closure order from Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) on June 19.
According to VCH's inspection report, the routine inspection revealed eight critical and two non-critical infractions.
For example, Vancouver Northern Food failed to keep the premises in adequate repair or sanitary condition and its manual dishwashing procedure was improper for removing contamination.
The food was not protected from contamination and was, instead, in contact with unsanitized surfaces or utensils. Potentially hazardous food was also not kept at a safe temperature, notes the report.
Employee hygiene was also one of the issues observed, as the report noted employees were not washing hands "as often as necessary" and did not "demonstrate good personal hygiene." There was an inadequate number of hand washing stations.
The business did not develop food safety and sanitation plans and rodent activity was found on the premises.
During a routine inspection conducted in March 2023, the health inspector found similar issues regarding Vancouver Northern Food's premises, food handling practices and handwashing protocols.
In a follow-up to the inspection conducted in the same month, the inspector ultimately found employees demonstrated good personal hygiene.
Vancouver Northern Food Inc. remained closed as of June 21.
Closure orders are only issued in instances where immediate health hazards "cannot be addressed during an inspection or readily brought into compliance," according to VCH. Businesses will be allowed to reopen upon passing follow-up inspections.
Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected]. To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter.
