New Canaan Public Schools cafeterias all scored perfect or near-perfect scores during recent unannounced local health inspections, records show.
New Canaan High School, Saxe Middle School and South School scored a perfect 100 points while and the other two elementary schools were only cited for one minor violation, following inspections by a sanitarian from the New Canaan Health Department.
Specifically, East and West Schools scored 98 out of 100 during March 1 inspections, cited for low sanitizer temperature.
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.