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-   -   Pizza Stores (https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45492)

MilitantSquatter 07-04-2008 07:55 PM

Pizza Stores
 
With all the safety issues and inspections restaurants are faced with how do pizza stores get away with leaving cooked pizzas that have cooled to room temp (or were refrigerated from the day before) under a partially enclosed glass partition or out on a counter ?

I've probably eaten hundreds of slices and in the past I've told them not to heat them up several times and luckily never got sick.

Just wondering.

SmokeInDaEye 07-04-2008 08:25 PM

I was thinking this same thing yesterday. I noticed for a while pizza places were putting signs on the glass that said "for display only" (but they'd still serve it) but those are gone now. I try to only go to pizza places that turn food quickly to be somewhat safe but you never know.

ZBQ 07-05-2008 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter (Post 678662)
With all the safety issues and inspections restaurants are faced with how do pizza stores get away with leaving cooked pizzas that have cooled to room temp (or were refrigerated from the day before) under a partially enclosed glass partition or out on a counter ?

I've probably eaten hundreds of slices and in the past I've told them not to heat them up several times and luckily never got sick.

Just wondering.

In college we always said that cold pizza from the night before was the
"Breakfast of Champions"........most of the time we just threw the box in the
oven because it wouldn't fit in the fridge and then pulled it out in the
morning and munched on it on the way to class......None of us got sick....sometimes
you gotta wonder if this stuff is REALLY as awful as they make it out to be......

jpw23 07-05-2008 10:16 AM

I just had a slice for breakfast.......it had been on the kitchen table all night in the box:biggrin:

parrothead 07-05-2008 11:08 AM

I have never seen such a thing. If selling by the slice around here it is kept in a controlled temperature and humidity invironment until sold.

I can't believe that any health department in this country would allow that.

MilitantSquatter 07-05-2008 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parrothead (Post 679043)
I have never seen such a thing. If selling by the slice around here it is kept in a controlled temperature and humidity invironment until sold.

I can't believe that any health department in this country would allow that.

I don't recall seeing one place in NY (probably hundreds if not thousands) with anything like you described in your area. Believe it or not, I think most areound here think that as long as it's sitting out it's fresh (even with the hardened cheese) and if taken from cold to oven it is old.

Plain slices (neopolitan & sicilian) typically go quickly during peak hours but final slices can sit out a while. Anything else like specialty topping slices (white pizza, marsala, ziti or veggie toppings etc or things like calzones, sausage/chicken rolls, stromboli, pinwheels etc. can sit there all day and may potentially be from the day before as well.

baughman 07-05-2008 12:20 PM

Managed 12 years in pizza never seen this.

comes down to the danger zone 45degrees to 140degrees. As long as it is out of that zone food should be ok.

Professor Salt 07-05-2008 01:33 PM

I believe there's a four hour window where food can be held "safely" in the danger zone before being rethermed above 165F, or thrown out.

If a health department inspector comes, how can they prove it was left at room temp for more than 4 hours? It seems to me a difficult thing to cite.

Forney 07-05-2008 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZBQ (Post 678838)
In college we always said that cold pizza from the night before was the
"Breakfast of Champions"........most of the time we just threw the box in the
oven because it wouldn't fit in the fridge and then pulled it out in the
morning and munched on it on the way to class......None of us got sick....sometimes
you gotta wonder if this stuff is REALLY as awful as they make it out to be......

Left over pizza is my "Breakfast of Champions"!!

parrothead 07-05-2008 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Salt (Post 679176)
I believe there's a four hour window where food can be held "safely" in the danger zone before being rethermed above 165F, or thrown out.

If a health department inspector comes, how can they prove it was left at room temp for more than 4 hours? It seems to me a difficult thing to cite.

You make a very valid point.

Actually only 2 hours before it must get below 70. Then another 4 to below 40.

I guess I can see it not being a problem. As long as they are selling pizza and moving through product. OK, I'll have one of those slices as long as it looks like one of the fresh ones. Yumms.

And I love cold pizza in the morning.

MilitantSquatter 07-05-2008 02:56 PM

I guess that two hour rule makes sense along with the fact that it's not proveable unless the inspector is checking without being noticed over several hours.

I just got back from one of the local spots where I took my daughter for lunch this afternoon.

... I counted 18 different styles of pizzas (all whole pies) in the display window. Since yesterday was a holiday, I think most were made fresh this morning. I'm sure a good % of them will still be there only partially sold before they close tonight around 10-11 PM and some of them will be back tomorrow.

For the record, we stuck with the plain pizza that was still hot.

parrothead 07-05-2008 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter (Post 679221)
I guess that two hour rule makes sense along with the fact that it's not proveable unless the inspector is checking without being noticed over several hours.

I do know for a fact that my county has "secret shoppers" that do spot checks for the health department. I don't believe that it is a paid position. They probably can turn in the receipt maybe for reimbursement, that would be all.

Anywho, it would be easy if there were a suspected problem to get one of these people to hang out there for a bit and stop in a couple of times.

River City Smokehouse 07-06-2008 07:49 AM

I cannot count the pizza I've eaten in the past 30+ years that has sat out over night in the box on the kitchen table. Not counting the warm stale beer the was still half full sitting next to that. Oh yeah, and the roach in the ash tray......I'll stop there!:cool::biggrin:

ZILLA 07-06-2008 08:46 AM

I ate pizza like that for 25 years until I moved off the Island. Never had a problem. There really isn't anything to generate bacteria it seems to me. Once it's cooked it'll hold a long time at room temp unless bacteria are introduced. Besides I think Americans have become too paranoid about this stuff. Some scientists even think we're becoming weak with all of the "Ultra Cleanliness" we practice. It's just not necessary, the rest of the world just eats. The NY pizza scene has it right.

Pitbull 07-06-2008 09:33 AM

[quote=ZILLA;679673] Besides I think Americans have become too paranoid about this stuff. Some scientists even think we're becoming weak with all of the "Ultra Cleanliness" we practice. quote]


I agree completely. I have said for a long time that a sickly generation is in the process of being raised. Kids needs some germs every now and then the build immunities. A hand full of dirt wouldn't hurt every now and then either. :mrgreen:

I'm a moning after pizza eater too.:rolleyes:


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