Tanque Verde Swap Meet’s Mercado briefly shuttered by health dept.

Inadequate cooling of potentially hazardous foods got the Tanque Verde Swap Meet’s Mercado briefly shut down on June 10.

A county health inspector found that the two walk-in coolers on-site “are not capable of holding food at 41 degrees or less.”

Instead, hot dogs, cheese and beans and other food were found to be 50 degrees or warmer. Additionally, the temperature alarm had been sounding for several hours the day of the visit, indicating unsafe temperatures, and “food service continued” nevertheless, according to the inspection report.

The inspector found an additional five critical violations, which earned the cafeteria a “probationary” rating.

County staff visited the facility the next day and determined that the coolers were functioning properly, and keeping food below required temperatures.

“Facility is OK to do full menu service at this time,” the June 11 follow-up report reads, though it goes on to advise managers to “continue to monitor refrigeration, especially since monsoons are here.”

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Beyond the cooler violations, the inspector observed an employee handling food with her bare hands, raw meat being stored above ready-to-eat food and a nonfunctioning dish sanitizer, all of which were corrected that day.

A statement provided by the swap meet’s operators says that they have “operated 10 different concessions and drink stands for over 40 years and this is the only incident that has ever closed a stand. It was immediately rectified and the Health Department cleared us to open the next day.”

Additionally, the “employee in question” for some of the violations will take a county-administered food management course.

“We are confident this will not recur,” it goes on to say.

This is the restaurant’s first failed inspection, and it has received ratings of “good” and “excellent” exclusively since 2000.

Normally follow-up inspections at failed facilities are conducted within 10 days of the inspection. However, because the Mercado is only open on the weekends, the visit is scheduled for Friday, June 24, a county spokeswoman said.