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May 18, 2023

Mold found in Emma's Southern Kitchen ice machine Knoxville health inspection

by: Don Dare Posted: May 4, 2023 / 04:28 PM EDT Updated: May 4, 2023

by: Don Dare

Posted: May 4, 2023 / 04:28 PM EDT

Updated: May 4, 2023 / 04:28 PM EDT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An eatery in Knoxville failed its health inspection after the inspector found quite a few critical violations.

The grade is a 68 at Emma's Southern Kitchen. It's located at 3701 Sutherland Avenue, in Knoxville. This is a failing score as a grade of 69 and below is considered failing.

Emma's Southern Kitchen, 3701 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville — Grade: 68. Follow-up Grade: 94

The inspector writes that he watched a kitchen worker use his bare hands as he started to prepare food. However, washing hands and putting on gloves are required before food is prepared.

When he checked the dishwasher, the inspector found no sanitizer was running through the cycle. He found out why, it had not been hooked up.

The temperature of the taco beef was 104 degrees. However, 135 degrees and above is the proper hot temperature to help prevent the potential for foodborne illness.

There's more. There were no date marks on multiple containers of ready-to-eat food. Marking the date of first use is required to assure freshness.

When he looked into the ice machine, the inspector found mold. It's not supposed to be there.

The inspector also watched an employee remove a bin from the 3-compartment sink and drip liquid onto cut-up chicken and a cutting board. The chicken was thrown away and the cutting board was not used again.

Finally, the inspector writes the person in charge, the manager, could not answer basic health rules, which they’re required to know, and pass the information on to their employees.

Emma's Southern Kitchen on Sutherland Avenue has been re-inspected. All of the initial critical violations were corrected, the new grade is a 94.

Restaurant inspections are conducted every six months and they are unannounced. If you notice a violation, politely let the manager know or you can report the problem by calling the health department in the county where you live.

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