More problems at SRJC cafe

<p>Rodent activity in the privately-run cafeteria at Santa Rosa Junior College's new student services center continues to be an issue, according to a county health department inspection report released Friday.</p><p>In a follow-up inspection of the main campus' Bertolini Student Services Center Thursday, a county health inspector noted a small amount of rodent waste on the kitchen floor beneath a dishwasher and on a shelf in the storeroom.</p><p>The inspection came after a series of articles in the college's student newspaper exposed problems with campus food service several weeks ago. Cafeteria employees alleged their employer, Milpitas-based Fresh & Natural Inc., overlooked unsanitary kitchen conditions and improper food handling at several facilities it runs on the Santa Rosa campus. </p><p>A county inspection April 1 turned up one major violation, related to rodent droppings in the Bertolini Center's kitchen and storeroom and several rodent holes in the kitchen area. </p><p>That report noted the problems were “corrected on site,” meaning that the company and college already had taken action to solve the issue and would clean up any residual mess, according to a county environmental health official.</p><p>However, in the scheduled follow-up inspection Thursday, another small batch of rodent droppings was found, plus two possible rodent holes near the grill and cook line, the report stated. </p><p>The inspector found Fresh & Natural's food protection to be “adequate,” according to Walter Kruse, director of the county's environmental health division. </p><p>But the inspector was “sufficiently concerned” with what appears to be an ongoing rodent issue that she ordered a second follow-up inspection, scheduled for May 6, Kruse said. </p><p>In an e-mail, Fresh & Natural president Marie Le said the company was working with the college and county health department to “ensure that the food service facility remains in compliance” with health department guidelines.”</p><p>“This is standard Health Department follow-up protocol,” Le wrote. </p><p>Doug Roberts, the college's vice president of business services, said he has ordered weekly inspections of the the Fresh & Natural-run facilities by a college facilities worker. </p><p>In addition to the Bertolini Center cafeteria and adjacent Bear's Den, the company operates the library cafe and three other food kiosks on the Santa Rosa campus, plus some facilities on the Petaluma campus. </p><p>In allegations first made public in a March 29 story in the student newspaper, the Oak Leaf, Fresh & Natural employees said the company regularly served undated food and failed to train employees in safe food handling, among other claims. </p><p>Fresh & Natural chief operating officer Norma Moreno, in a meeting April 2 with campus officials, said food handling procedures were subsequently “tightened up.” She also stressed that each of the company's 30 campus food workers went through a supervised training program.</p><p>The issues “were all employee related,” she said. “I can guarantee you that there were no food safety issues in the (Bertolini Center) cafeteria.” </p><p>At least two of the 13 Fresh & Natural employees involved in making the complaints public have been since been fired. </p><p>Meanwhile, Fresh & Natural will be required to pay the $135 cost of the May 6 follow-up inspection. Kruse, the county environmental health director, said the fee was standard practice in cases requiring reinspection.</p>