Surprise health inspections over the past year have found numerous violations at each of Boston University’s five major dining halls, enough to threaten two – Shelton Hall and Myles Standish Hall – with food service permit suspensions last November, according to Boston Inspectional Services Department reports.
All of the dining halls eventually addressed the violations satisfactorily, but Shelton and Myles underwent several failed re-inspections and the ISD threatened to close each hall before the violations were corrected late last year, according to ISD reports.
In the most recent inspections of BU facilities – which took place in Warren Towers last August, Myles and Shelton in September, Towers in October and West Campus this month – Shelton had eight “foodborne illnesses risk factors,” Myles had six, Towers had five, West Campus had four and Warren had one, according to the reports. The inspection at the West Campus dining hall came as a “suspect illness” inspection and the others were routine inspections or re-inspections.
Director of Dining Services Joshua Hubbard did not acknowledge Friday that BU’s dining halls failed to meet ISD standards after initial inspections.
“With 100 percent consistency, we pass our health inspections,” he said.
On Monday, Hubbard added, “I’d be surprised if [inspectors] didn’t find something. I don’t think anybody’s impeccable.”
The reports said some violations found at BU cafeterias included raw eggs that were stored over ready-to-eat food, food products being stored less than six inches off the floor, employees using a food preparation sink for hand washing and employees loading dirty dishes and then unloading clean dishes without washing their hands.
Health inspectors divide cafeteria violations into three categories: non-critical violations, critical violations and foodborne illnesses risk factors, according to ISD Health Division assistant commissioner Thomas Goodfellow. He called foodborne illnesses risk factors the most serious violations.
According to the ISD website, foodborne illnesses risk factors are “improper practices or procedures” that can lead to E. coli, salmonella or other forms of food poisoning – which have symptoms that include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
The ISD allows varying periods of time for each establishment to correct violations, according to an ISD official.
“We’re not in the business of putting other people out of business,” the official said. “We give them the benefit of the doubt.”
Hubbard said BU will serve more than five million meals over the course of the 2003-04 academic year.
In an inspection system where “rules and guidelines constantly evolve and change,” Hubbard said “we are as tough a critic of ourselves as the state is” and BU has “a commitment to serving the best possible food.”
BU spokesman Colin Riley added that “training and behavior and quality of food is superb.”
COM freshman Kecia Butlin, who lives on West Campus, was surprised by the reports because she said she has heard that BU’s dining service is “one of the top in the country.”
“It makes me wonder what other college kids are dealing with,” she said, after reviewing the inspection reports. “An improvement definitely needs to be made.”
But Towers resident and School of Education freshman Thom Tyrrell said he has eaten at nearly every dining hall since last semester and does not feel “all too threatened” by BU’s inspection results.
“You put your trust in [dining hall employees] because you have no where else to get your food,” said Kellen West, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman.
Based on inspection reports and violations committed by BU Dining Services, West added that the university has “violated the students’ trust.”
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