Inspection Report

Business Name
La Pupusa Loca

Business Address
4320 W THOMAS RD PHOENIX AZ 85031

Permit Number
FD-37203

Permit Type
Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking

Inspection Purpose
Food Routine Inspection

Inspection Date
7/10/2025

Grade
Not Participating

Priority Violation
3

Inspection Status
Completed

Violations

Violation #: 6

Description: Proper Eating, Tasting, Drinking, or Tobacco Use

Comments:

2-401.11 - Core: Eating, Drinking, or Using Tobacco Addl Notes: Observed open container of employee personal drink stored directly on top of a cutting board at the prep table as the employee handled ready to eat food. Predefined Comment: PIC moved employee consumables to the designated area and will retrain on proper eating, drinking, and tobacco use. Predefined Comment: To ensure food safety, prevent physical contamination and the transmission of disease; employee eating, drinking, beverage storage, and using tobacco must be done in an approved area. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 15

Description: Food Separated and Protected

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-302.11 (A1-2) - Priority: Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation, Packaging, and Segregation; Protection from Cross Contamination. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4621/AMC-Toolbox---Cross-Contamination.

Addl Notes: Observed raw meats stored over cooked ready to eat foods in the reach in cooler. Predefined Comment: All raw animal proteins must be stored below ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and stored according to cooking temperature at all times to prevent cross contamination. PIC properly stored all raw animal proteins according to the final cooking temperature based on the cooking parameters in § 3-401.11 of the Food Code. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 22

Description: Proper Cold Holding Temperatures

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.16(A)(2) and (B) - Priority: Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Cold Holding. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you.https://www.maricopa.gov/4576/AMC-Toolbox---Cold-Holding.

Addl Notes: Observed cooked salsas, cut leafy greens, cream cheese, whipped cream, and raw shelled eggs with internal temperature between 48-50F in the reach in cooler by the cook line. Predefined Comment: All TCS foods improperly cold held were relocated to alternative functioning refrigeration unit to rapidly cool to 41°F at time of inspection. Predefined Comment: Except during preparation, cooking, cooling or when time is used as a control all TCS foods must be maintained at 41°F or below. Eggs not treated to destroy Salmonellae can be stored in equipment that maintains an ambient air temperature of 45°F or below. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 23

Description: Proper Date Marking and Disposition

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.18 - Priority: Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Disposition. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4125/Food-SafetyOperator-Resources.

Addl Notes: Observed containers of cooked beans and cooked tamales with no date marking. The person in charge stated the food items had been prepared the day before and date marked them accordingly. Predefined Comment: RTE/TCS foods requiring date marking must be date marked within 24 hours and sold or discarded after 7 days (including the day it was made as day 1). Predefined Comment: All RTE/TCS foods were properly date marked at the time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 33

Description: Proper Cooling Methods Used; Adequate Equipment for Temperature Control

Comments:

4-301.11 - Priority Foundation: Cooling, Heating, and Holding Capacities-Equipment. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4617/AMC-Toolbox---Cooling. Addl Notes: Observed reach in cooler with minimum ambient temperature 52F. TCS foods stored inside the cooler had internal temperatures between 48-50F. Establishments interal thermometer displayed ambient temperature of 46F. The person in charge discontinued used of the cooler for cold holding TCS food items at the time of inspection. Predefined Comment: Cold holding equipment must have the capacity to maintain TCS foods at 41°F or below. Must repair cold holding equipment such that it maintains TCS foods at 41°F or below. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

3-501.15 (B) - Core: Cooling Methods; Covered and Properly Arranged Containers. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4617/AMC-Toolbox---Cooling. Addl Notes: Observed cooked tamales with interanal temperature between 90-100F individually wrapped with aluminum foil and packed in deep plastic bins prior to placing in cooler to undergo cooling process. The person in charge unwrapped the tamales to facilitate heat transfer. Predefined Comment: TCS foods must be cooled in: uncovered/loosely covered, shallow containers less than 4 inches deep, in equipment designed to rapidly cool, by using an ice bath, by using ice as an ingredient, or another effective means. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 35

Description: Approved Thawing Methods Used

Comments:

3-501.13 - Core: Thawing Addl Notes: Observed raw meats thawing in prep sink at ambient temperature. Predefined Comment: All foods being thawed from frozen must be thawed in an approved manner. Foods must be thawed under refrigeration, under cold running water, or as part of the cooking process. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 41

Description: Wiping Cloths; Properly Used and Stored

Comments:

3-304.14 - Core: Wiping Cloths, Use Limitation Addl Notes: Observed wiping cloth stored in chlorine sanitizer solution with more than 300ppm chlorine. Employee made new sanitizer solution with 50-100ppm chlorine. Predefined Comment: All wet wiping cloths must be stored in sanitizer buckets with approved sanitizer concentrations. Wiping cloths were placed in sanitizer buckets with approved sanitizer concentrations at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection.

Comments/Details

Predefined Comment: No County legal action will result from this inspection.

"A" for Food Safety

Through our grading system, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department provides at-a-glance indications of how food establishments perform during food safety inspections. This system is designed to grade food establishments in terms of food safety requirements and provide recognition to those who choose to participate.

How does it work?

The issuance of grade cards to food establishments is based on voluntary participation. The person in charge, who is present during the inspection, will be asked whether they would like to participate in the Grading System. This will be decided prior to each inspection. If an establishment does not participate in the Grading System, Not Participating or NP will appear on the inspection report, and the inspection will still occur. If an establishment does participate, a grade of A, B, C, or D will be determined at the conclusion of the inspection using the Grading System chart below. Participating establishments will then be provided with a grade card that can be posted in the establishment. The status of the establishment’s grade will also appear on the Restaurant Ratings page of the department’s website.

How can I determine the grade?

The Grading System chart can be used to determine grades earned for establishments that do not participate. Grades are determined by the number of Priority and Priority Foundation violations received at the time of inspection. Violation types are defined in general terms below.

Definitions

Priority Violation: Major violation that directly contributes to increasing the risk of foodborne illness or injury (e.g. Food employees do not properly wash hands when required).
Priority Foundation Violation: Minor violation that does not directly contribute to an increased risk of foodborne illness but failure to correct this violation may lead to the occurrence of a priority violation. For example, hand washing soap and paper towels not available at hand wash sink (may lead directly to food employees not properly washing hands when required).
Core Violation: Minor violation that relates to general maintenance and sanitation (e.g. No sign reminding employees to wash hands).
Cutting Edge Program: All county food-related establishments can partner with Maricopa County to implement a proactive approach to reducing foodborne illness risk factors by implementing food safety systems that include policies, training, and verification processes. Partners enrolled in the Cutting Edge Program receive an A+ when an A is earned.

Grading System The matrix below is used to grade food inspections under the voluntary grading system.
Violation Category	Grade A	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade B	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade C	Grade D	Grade D
Priority	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	1	1	2	2	2	more than 2	more than 3
Priority Foundation	0	1	2	3	4	0	1	2	5	3	4	0	1	2	more than 3	more than 0

Any legal action for a pattern of non-compliance or permit suspension results in a D.