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Facility: La Finca Branding Iron
Address: 640 W. 16th St., Merced, CA

The most recent inspection of this food facility resulted in a rating of
Unsatisfactory (Total Points: 16.00)
0-6  Points: Good
7-13 Points: Satisfactory
14+  Points: Unsatisfactory
Rating on date 9-18-2025: Unsatisfactory - reinspection required (Total Points: 16.00)
DateViolationPointsCorrectionInspector CommentsFacility Area
9-18-2025 All utensils and equipment shall be fully operative, clean, and in good repair. (114115, 114175). All utensils and equipment shall be approved, installed properly, and meet applicable standards. (114130, 114130.1, 114130.2, 114130.3, 114130.4, 114130.5, 114130.6, 114132, 114133, 114137, 114139, 114143, 114153, 114155, 114163, 114165, 114167, 114169, 114172, 114175, 114177, 114180, 114182) 1.00 Equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. The food-contact surfaces of cooking equipment and pans shall be kept free of encrusted grease deposits and other debris accumulations.

Keep all food facilities, and all utensils, display cases, windows, counters, shelves, tables, refrigeration units, sinks, dishwashing machines, and other equipment or utensils used in the storage, preparation, sale, service, and display of food, clean, fully operative, and in good repair.

The non-food-contact surfaces of equipment shall be kept free of an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, and other debris. Equipment shall be reassembled so that food-contact surfaces are not contaminated. 		Observed the accumulation of debris on the shelves in the bar refrigerator. Improve cleaning. 0123 BAR
9-18-2025 Handwashing soap and single use towels or drying device shall be provided in dispensers adjacent to each handwashing facility; dispensers shall be maintained in good repair. (113953.2) Adequate separate facilities shall be provided for handwashing, food preparation, and the washing of utensils and equipment. (113953, 113953.1) 3.00 Handwashing facilities shall be sufficient in number and conveniently located so as to be accessible at all times for use by food employees. Employees shall not clean their hands in a sink used for food preparation, warewashing, or in a service sink or a curbed cleaning facility used for the disposal of mop water and similar liquid waste. Do not place objects in front of the handwashing station, and do not place items, utensils or wiping cloths in the handwashing sink.

Handwashing facilities shall be equipped to provide warm water under pressure for a minimum of 15 seconds. If the temperature of water provided is not readily adjustable at the faucet, the temperature of the water shall be at least 100°F, but not greater than 108°F. Soap shall be provided in approved dispensers at, or adjacent to, handwashing facilities (no bars of soap). Single-use sanitary towels or hot-air blowers shall be provided at handwashing facilities in approved dispensing devices. 		Observed the sink in the kitchen prep area was blocked with a bin. Keep hand washing station accessible for use. 0102 FOOD ESTAB. W/FOOD PREP 50-149 SEATS
9-18-2025 Wiping cloths used to wipe service counters, scales or other surfaces that may come into contact with food shall be used only once unless kept in clean water with sanitizer. (114135, 114185, 114185.1, 11485.2, 114185.3) 1.00 Cloths used to wipe service counters, scales, and other surfaces that may directly or indirectly contact food shall be used only once until laundered or may be used repeatedly if held in a sanitizing solution, as described below. Cloths used with raw foods of animal origin shall be used only once until laundered or may be used repeatedly if kept in a separate container of sanitizing solution, as described below:
(1) Contact with a solution of 100 ppm available chlorine solution for at least 30 seconds.
(2) Contact with a solution of 25 ppm available iodine for at least one minute.
(3) Contact with a solution of 200 ppm quaternary ammonium for at least one minute.
(4) Contact with any chemical sanitizer that meets the requirements of Section 180.940 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations when used in accordance with the manufacturer's use directions. 		Observed wiping towels not stored in sanitizer keep wiping towels in sanitizer when not in use.

Observed the sanitizer solution is cloudy and have a chlorine solution less than 100ppm. Replace sanitizer whenever cloudy. 		0102 FOOD ESTAB. W/FOOD PREP 50-149 SEATS
9-18-2025 All food contact surfaces of utensils and equipment shall be clean and sanitized. (113984(e), 114097, 114099.1, 114099.4, 114099.6, 114101 (b-d), 114105, 114109, 114111, 114113, 114115 (a, b, d), 114117, 114125(b), 114135, 114141) 7.00 A food facility that prepares food shall not be operating if there is no method to properly clean and sanitize equipment or utensils. A food facility shall not be operating if there is gross contamination of food contact surfaces that may result in the contamination of food products. Observed the sanitizer strength for the automatic dishwasher is less than 50ppm. Adjust the machine to provide 50ppm of chlorine. Manually sanitize until the automatic dishwasher is adjusted to provide adequate sanitizing. 0102 FOOD ESTAB. W/FOOD PREP 50-149 SEATS
9-18-2025 All food shall be separated and protected from contamination. (113984, 113986, 113988, 113990, 114060, 114067, 114069, 114077, 114079, 114089.1 (c), 114143 (c)) 1.00 Destroy all contaminated food. All food shall be prepared, stored, displayed, dispensed, placed, transported, sold, and served as to be protected from dirt, vermin, unnecessary handling, droplet contamination, overhead leakage, or other contamination.
If unpackaged food is displayed and sold in bulk in other than self-service containers, then it shall be served by an employee of the food establishment directly to a consumer and shall be displayed in clean, sanitary, and covered or otherwise protected containers.
For bulk customer self-service food items, such as salad bars, buffet type foods, and other ready-to-eat food, install sneeze guards that intercept a direct line between the customer's mouth and the food being offered, dispense from approved mechanical dispensers, or employ other effective means to protect ready-to-eat food from contamination.
Protect all cartons, boxes, or other materials used in the packaging of any food from dirt, vermin, and other forms of contamination or adulteration. 		Observed multiple containers of food without cover when not being prepared. Keep containers of food covered when not in use. 0102 FOOD ESTAB. W/FOOD PREP 50-149 SEATS
9-18-2025 Potentially hazardous foods shall be held at or below 41°/ 45°F or at or above 135°F. (113996, 113998, 114037, 114343(a)) 3.00 Hold potentially hazardous foods either at or above 135°F or at or below 41°F. Hold the following potentially hazardous foods at 45°F: raw shell eggs, unshucked live molluscan shellfish, pasteurized milk and pasteurized milk products in original, sealed containers. Potentially hazardous foods held for dispensing in a serving line or a salad bar (not in a display case) may be held at 45°F or less during periods not to exceed 12 hours in any 24-hour period. Discard all potentially hazardous food that has been out of an approved time and temperature range. Observed the sliding door refrigerator in the kitchen staging room measured at 45F. Adjust or repair the unit to provide refrigeration at or below 41F.

Observed inadequate cooling for the salsa at the waitress staging area. Salsa measured at 47F at the warmest location. Submerge the salsa container in ice up to the line of the salsa and add water for better transfer of heat. Replace ice as needed to maintain a slurry of ice water. 		0102 FOOD ESTAB. W/FOOD PREP 50-149 SEATS


Rating on date 1-30-2025: Good (Total Points: 1.00)
DateViolationPointsCorrectionInspector CommentsFacility Area
1-30-2025 No violations were noted during this inspection. 0.00 This food facility currently meets California Retail Food Code requirements, and is authorized by the Merced County Division of Environmental Health to be open for business. The permit is issued to the current business owner of record and is non-transferable. The Merced County Health Permit to Operate is approved pending payment of any outstanding invoice balance(s) and the approvals of other appropriate public agencies, including but not limited to Planning, Zoning, Fire, Business Licensing, and / or other government entities with regulatory jurisdiction applicable to your business type. 0123 BAR
1-30-2025 No violations were noted during this inspection. 0.00 This food facility currently meets California Retail Food Code requirements, and is authorized by the Merced County Division of Environmental Health to be open for business. The permit is issued to the current business owner of record and is non-transferable. The Merced County Health Permit to Operate is approved pending payment of any outstanding invoice balance(s) and the approvals of other appropriate public agencies, including but not limited to Planning, Zoning, Fire, Business Licensing, and / or other government entities with regulatory jurisdiction applicable to your business type. 0102 FOOD ESTAB. W/FOOD PREP 50-149 SEATS
1-30-2025 Food facilities that prepare food shall be equipped with warewashing facilities. Testing equipment and materials shall be provided to measure the applicable sanitization method. (114067(f,g), 114099, 114099.1, 114099.2, 114099.3, 114099.4, 114099.5, 114099.6, 114099.7, 114101, 114101.1, 114101.2, 114103, 114107, 114125) 1.00 Provide a sink with at least 3 compartments with 2 integral metal drainboards. The sink compartments and drainage facilities shall be large enough to accommodate the largest utensil or piece of equipment to be cleaned therein.

Clean the utensils in one of the following ways:

(1) Manual warewashing shall be accomplished by using a 3-compartment sink where the utensils are first pre-cleaned, then washed, rinsed, sanitized, and air dried. The temperature of the washing solution shall be maintained at not less than 100°F or the temperature specified on the cleaning agent manufacturer's label instructions. The utensils shall then be rinsed in clear water before being immersed in a sanitizing solution. Manual sanitization shall be accomplished in the final sanitizing rinse by one of the following:
(a) Immersion for at least 30 seconds where the water temperature is maintained at 171°F or above.
(b) The application of sanitizing chemicals by immersion, manual swabbing, or brushing, using one of the following solutions:
(1) Contact with a solution of 100 ppm available chlorine solution for at least 30 seconds.
(2) Contact with a solution of 25 ppm available iodine for at least one minute.
(3) Contact with a solution of 200 ppm quaternary ammonium for at least one minute.
(4) Contact with a solution of ozone that meets the requirements of Section 180.940 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations and that is generated by a device located onsite at the food facility that meets all of the requirements of 114099.6.
(c) Other methods approved by the enforcement agency.

(2) Mechanical machine warewashing shall be accomplished by using an approved machine installed and operated in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Soiled items to be cleaned in a warewashing machine shall be loaded in racks, trays, or baskets or onto conveyors in a position that exposes the items to the unobstructed spray during all cycles and allows the items to drain. Mechanical sanitization shall be accomplished in the final sanitizing rinse by one of the following:
(a) By being cycled through equipment achieving a utensil surface temperature of 160°F or above.
(b) The mechanical application of sanitizing chemicals by pressure spraying methods using one of the following:
(1) Contact with a solution of 50 ppm available chlorine solution for at least 30 seconds.
(2) Contact with a solution of 25 ppm available iodine for at least one minute.
(3) Contact with any chemical sanitizer that meets the requirements of Section 180.940 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations when used in accordance with both the sanitizer manufacturers use directions and the machine manufacturer's specifications.

Provide testing equipment and materials to adequately measure the applicable sanitization method. 		Observed the lack of chlorine test strips to verify the concentration of the chlorine sanitizer in the mechanical warewasher. 0102 FOOD ESTAB. W/FOOD PREP 50-149 SEATS