Consumer warning for seafood restaurant in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A popular Pittsburgh seafood restaurant received a consumer alert after an inspector found several violations.

The Allegheny County Health Department issued a warning for Redfin Blues on Washington’s Landing following an inspection Thursday. A consumer warning means an establishment does not meet minimum food safety standards and that conditions may pose a public health risk.

The inspection report lists several high-risk violations that, according to the health department, can directly lead to foodborne illness or injury.

According to the inspector, large quantities of raw fish, raw shrimp, crab cakes, ground meat, cooked chicken and cooked vegetables were found in refrigeration units at temperatures between 49 and 54 degrees, when they should be stored at 41 degrees or below. The inspector also found a high-risk violation in the way cod and tuna were thawed.

Other high-risk violations include an employee placing a drink on a cutting board in use and finding old residue on the blade of a can opener.

While the inspector was on site, the ambient temperature in the cooking and dishwashing area was between 30 and 38 degrees, according to the report, “which overloads the cooling equipment and contributes to an unsanitary environment.” Pittsburgh is in the midst of a heat wave, with temperatures above 30 degrees four out of five days.

The report also lists several low- and medium-risk violations, such as the lack of running water at the only food preparation sink and the lack of a date on “numerous food items.”

When the consumer alert is lifted, the health department’s website will be updated.