Inspection Report

Business Name
Sushi Nakano

Business Address
4025 E CHANDLER BLVD PHOENIX AZ 85048

Permit Number
FD2503037

Permit Type
Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking

Inspection Purpose
Food Routine Inspection

Inspection Date
4/23/2026

Grade
Not Participating

Priority Violation
2

Inspection Status
Completed

Violations

Violation #: 9

Description: No Bare Hand Contact with RTE Foods or a Pre-Approved Alternate Properly Followed

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-301.11(B) - Priority: Preventing Contamination from Hands. 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/4573/AMC-Toolbox: Handwashing.

Addl Notes: Observed sushi being prepared on the main sushi line. Employee used a bare hand to plate the sushi. Prior to intervening, sushi was placed in front of customers at the sushi counter. Inspector discussed bare hand contact with manager. Discussed possibly obtaining bare hand contact approval with manager. Manager had washed his hands not long before and no contamination of the hands was observed. All employees dawned gloves and ceased bare hand contact operations. Predefined Comment: Discussed the importance of preventing bare hand contact with ready-to-eat (RTE) foods with the person-in-charge (PIC). Bare hand contact is not approved with ready-to-eat (RTE) food items. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 10

Description: Adequate Handwashing Sinks, Properly Supplied and Accessible

Comments:

5-205.11 - Priority Foundation: Using a Handwashing Sink-Operation and Maintenance. 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/4573/AMC-Toolbox: Handwashing. Addl Notes: In the back, observed an employee use the handwashing sink to dump water from a cook pan and to rinse off tofu. Handwashing sinks must only be used for handwashing and no other purposes. Employee was educated and corrected. No further unnecessary usage was observed. 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 a package of raw, ground, pork sausage stored on a container of lettuce. An employee moved the sausage to proper storage. 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 #: 24

Description: Time as a Public Health Control: Procedures and Records

Comments:

3-501.19 (A1, B2, C2-3) - Priority Foundation: Time as a Public Health Control; Documentation. 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: On the sushi cook line, observed 3 containers of sushi rice at 100*F - 112*F. Per manager the sushi rice was stored on time as control. No time stamps for the rice was observed. Manager has time control procedure. Rice was time stamped at time of inspection. All foods on time as control must have a time stamp of the time it was placed on time control and when it must be discarded. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 29

Description: Compliance with Variance, Specialized Process, Reduced Oxygen Packaging Criteria or HACCP plan

Comments:

3-502.11 - Priority Foundation: Variance Requirement. 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/3978/Food-Variances. Addl Notes: Observed several vacuum sealed bags of raw fish. Per manager the fish has been stored in the vacuum sealed bags over 48 hours Per manager, the establishment has recently started vacuum sealing fish and freezing it to lengthen the life of the raw fish. Vacuum sealing requires a variance/approval from the department. Manager opened the bags of raw fish. Instructed establishment to stop vacuum sealing fish without proper approval. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of 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.