Thayer Dining Hall was subject to a surprise inspection early last month and was found to have remedied several health violations from last November, according to the New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services Bureau of Food Division.
The Jan. 5 examination was not scored, but N.H. Public Health Sanitarian Gary Quackenbush said Thayer -- which comprises Food Court, Home Plate and Westside Buffet -- had vastly improved since its last inspection.
In the Nov. 20 inspection, Thayer received 72 out of a possible 100 points, a barely passing score. Violations from that inspection included improper cooling conditions, plumbing infractions, absent splash and sneeze guards from sinks and food containers and spoiled meat in one Food Court freezer.
But in last month's unannounced visit, Quackenbush said he found "plumbing items had been corrected, documentation was good, and smaller violations had all been fixed,"
"Overall we were impressed," Quackenbush noted.
Director of Dining Services Pete Napolitano said he was very happy with the results.
Unlike in the November survey, no spoiled meat was found, nor any other major problems.
Also in the previous survey, the refrigerator used to cool the salad bar had not been turned on, which deducted points from the overall score of all three dining halls in Thayer. This time, however, all proper cooling devices were found to be in working order.
Quackenbush said a major problem in November was cooling of foods but the correct changes were made by the second inspection.
Napolitano admitted there are many difficulties in cooling techniques.
To combat these problems, DDS has implemented several methods to control the freezing process and prevent foods from lingering at dangerous temperatures-- such as chilling sticks in the hot soups and stews and shallower dishes for pasta and meats.
Documentation is necessary to monitor the temperatures of freezers, which is important to prevent bacterial growth, Napolitano said.
Quackenbush proclaimed the documentation of cooling temperatures, "good and in order."
In addition to the cooling changes, the N.H. Division of Public Health also recorded the status of critical violations dealing with plumbing, Quackenbush said.
A new air gap device was installed in main plumbing lines, facilitating a more sanitary disposal of sink waste, an "important improvement," Napalitano added.
The only improvement Quackenbush recommended was the purchase of a blast chiller for quicker freezing of foods.
"Perhaps if the alumni could raise some funds, the dining service could invest in the blast chiller," he suggested.
