New Canaan Public Schools cafeterias all scored perfect or near-perfect scores during unannounced local health inspections this month and last, records show.
New Canaan High School scored a perfect 100 points while Saxe Middle School and the three elementary schools were only cited for one or two minor violations, following inspections by a sanitarian from the New Canaan Health Department.
Specifically, South School scored a 99 after being cited during a Sept. 26 inspection for an unclean fan cover inside a walk-in refrigerator. East School scored a 98 out of 100 during a Sept. 20 inspection, cited for a light in a reach-in refrigerator that wasn’t working and paint chipping on a wall near electric service breaker panels. West school scored 97 during an Oct. 8 inspection after the sanitarian found that a milk refrigerator gasket was torn and a double-door to the exterior of a cafeteria area had a gap. And Saxe during an Oct. 11 was only cited for caulking in disrepair at a hand washing sink wall juncture.
In surprise inspections, municipal health officials note any violation on a form that categorizes and grades each of them from one to four, with four being the most serious. A total of 100 points are possible, and each violation is deducted from that score. A food service establishment is said to have “failed” an inspection if its total score is less than 80 or if it’s cited for even a single 4-point violation.
The last time each of the schools failed an inspection due to major violations was:
- East—2016: chlorine sanitizer in a wiping cloth bucket at a toxic level;
- South—2017: food items in a 2-door Hobart discarded after the cooler was found to be at 63.7 degrees Fahrenheit—far higher than required;
- West—2010: cream cheese, butter, sour cream and shredded cheese all improperly stored on top of a tray of frozen ice; overly diluted bleach sanitizer at 3-bay sink;
- Saxe—2012: dented, 6-pound can of Furmano’s chickpeas stored in dry storage area;
- NCHS—2018: milk in a reach-in refrigerator at a higher temperature than required.