Loveland Convenience Store Faces Re-Inspection After Multiple Food Safety Violations
A Loveland convenience store failed a recent health inspection due to multiple food safety violations, including improperly reheated foods and equipment failures that put customers at risk of foodborne illness.
Big D Oil #61, located at 1039 South Lincoln Avenue, received a failing score of 55 points during an October 24 inspection, requiring re-inspection before the facility can demonstrate compliance with basic food safety standards, according to the Larimer County Health Department inspection report.
Health inspectors found several critical violations that directly threaten food safety. Green beans measured at 113 degrees Fahrenheit, mashed potatoes between 88 and 142 degrees, and macaroni and cheese between 88 and 124 degrees were all found improperly reheating in a food warmer. Food safety standards require these items reach 135 degrees or above within two hours before being held for service to prevent dangerous bacterial growth.
Inspectors also discovered a prepackaged personal pizza holding at 113 degrees in a warming cabinet, well below the required 135-degree minimum for hot-held foods. Staff reported the pizza had been prepared an hour earlier and would be discarded after two hours. The product, valued at less than $10, was discarded during the inspection.
Temperature control violations extended to cold foods as well. Chicken prepared the previous day was found sitting at 57 degrees on a pizza preparation table, approximately 16 degrees above the maximum safe temperature of 41 degrees. Staff told inspectors the chicken had been removed from refrigeration about 30 minutes earlier to be packaged for cold resale. Inspectors directed staff to portion the products and return them to the walk-in cooler for proper cold holding.
The convenience store's dish-washing equipment was not functioning properly at the time of inspection. The dish machine showed no measurable concentration of bleach sanitizer, forcing staff to wash all dishes in a three-compartment sink until repairs could be completed. Staff contacted the equipment service provider EcoLab during the inspection. Proper sanitizer concentration must measure between 50 and 200 parts per million to effectively kill harmful bacteria and pathogens.
Inspectors also found the facility lacked test strips to verify chlorine sanitizer concentration in the dish machine, a basic tool required to ensure proper sanitation.
Additional violations included blocked access to a handwashing sink, with cardboard boxes stored directly in front of the sink near the pizza preparation cooler. Health codes require handwashing stations remain accessible at all times to allow employees to maintain proper hygiene.
Food dating practices also fell short of requirements. A bag of cooked sausage in the pizza preparation cooler had no date marking indicating when it was opened. Staff reported it had been opened the previous day and would typically be used within one or two days. Ready-to-eat refrigerated foods must be clearly marked with opening or preparation dates and consumed, sold or discarded within seven days to control exposure to Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, which can cause serious illness.
In the facility's dry storage area, inspectors found two large cans of sausage gravy with significant dents to the can body. Damaged and dented canned goods can compromise food safety and were removed from general storage during the inspection.
Big D Oil #61 is part of the regional Big D Oil Co. chain, which operates 48 locations across Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. The Loveland location serves as both a fuel station and convenience store.
The facility must undergo re-inspection to verify that all violations have been corrected and that proper food safety procedures are in place before it can return to passing status. Under Larimer County health inspection standards, scores between 50 and 109 points indicate a higher level of risk requiring mandatory re-inspection.