Director of Public Health David Greenbaum is recommending the town require restaurants to perform pest control on a regular

Director of Public Health David Greenbaum is recommending the town require restaurants to perform pest control on a regular basis following the apparent discovery of a dead cockroach in a customer’s leftovers from the Border Café.

Saugus resident Kristin Torres called the Board of Health last week to report that she found a cockroach in the cilantro dip that she had ordered from Border Café and taken home. She reported that she opened the leftovers five hours later and after eating the dip spotted a dead cockroach at the bottom of the container.

After receiving the complaint, Greenbaum conducted an inspection at the Border Café on March 27 and found a dead bug under a three-bay sink. He told board members the insect looked like a cockroach.

Greenbaum said he inspected the restaurant thoroughly — including the area where the meal in question was prepared — and observed no active pest presence.

Representatives from Border Café appeared before the Board of HealthApril 3 to discuss reports of pest issues at the Route 1 North restaurant.

Border Café Vice President of Operations Bob Murphy informed board members that a customer contacted Border Cafe on March 24 at 5 p.m. alleging that she discovered a bug in a takeout container in which she placed her food prior to leaving the restaurant.

“We immediately inspected all of the food and the entire facility for any signs of the alleged complaint and found no evidence of such,” Murphy said. “Additionally, we immediately contacted our pest control company, EcoLogic, to inspect for any pest activity and treat any areas as necessary. EcoLogic came out first thing Saturday morning for an evaluation and indicated there was no activity.”

Murphy explained that Border Café notified the Board of Health about the complaint on March 25 and requested the town inspect the restaurant for any pest activity.

The chief food inspector for Revere inspected the Border Café on March 30 and noted no pest activity in his report, Murphy said.

A routine health inspection at Border Café on March 18 also showed no evidence of pests, Murphy said.

Lisa Berger, a certified professional in food safety hired by Border Café more than a year ago, told board members that EcoLogic visited the establishment on March 27, March 28, March 29 and April 1 and detected no evidence of a pest infestation.

Berger stressed that Border Café has worked steadfastly over the last year with Berger Food Safety Consulting to review and improve their processes and procedures in order to fulfill a commitment to the highest standards of food safety.

Murphy said he knows the Board of Health takes public complaints of restaurant food safety seriously, adding that Border Café has taken strides to improve its operations over the past year.

“We want the board to understand that our company is committed to the highest standards of food safety as well as a quality dining experience for our valued guests,” Murphy said.

Digging into the reports

Though Greenbaum observed no active pest presence during his March 27 inspection, he told board members that pest control reports showed evidence of German cockroach activity at the Border Café two to three months ago.

Recent pest reports at the Border Café have been “very good,” Greenbaum said.

Greenbaum said he would have needed to see evidence of live pest activity to order Border Café to stop serving food. Based on his March 27 inspection and subsequent reports that showed no pest activity at the restaurant, he told the Advertiser he is comfortable with the Border Café remaining open.

Board of Health member Joia Cicolini asked if it’s safe for Border Café to remain in operation while pests are being exterminated.

Greenbaum informed the board that pest control companies apply a gel pesticide where activity is observed. He said he wouldn’t be overly concerned about the practice.

Board of Health Chairman William Heffernan inquired about how often management brings a pest control company to Border Café.

Murphy said pest control generally stops by the Border Café on a monthly basis.

“We’ll be upping it to twice a week for the foreseeable future and I’d imagine once a week after that,” Murphy said.

Heffernan said restaurants are sort of at the mercy of the public when word of something like a cockroach in a customer’s leftovers gets out. Torres posted a picture of the insect in her food on Facebook and the post quickly racked up more than 5,000 shares and generated numerous calls to the Board of Health.

Going forward, Heffernan put Border Café on notice that the Board of Health will be paying close attention to the restaurant. He noted that the restaurant had some issues last year, referring to r eports of critical violations and food borne illness complaints.

“I’ll ask [Greenbaum] to stop in every now and then,” Heffernan said.

Heffernan said he thinks the Border Café is doing a good job with the actions the restaurant has taken. He expressed hope that management doesn’t leave the Board of Health meeting with the idea that the pest control situation is all set.

“The last thing you want is more bad publicity,” Heffernan said.

Greenbaum suggested that the Board of Health consider adopting a regulation that makes pest control efforts mandatory at town restaurants.

Currently there is no code requirement in Saugus for restaurants to do pest control on a regular basis, Greenbaum said.

“It’s something the board would have to codify,” Greenbaum said, adding that he would recommend monthly inspections at restaurants.

There are other communities that require restaurants to bring in pest control companies on a monthly basis, Greenbaum said.

Some restaurants do have regular pest control efforts as part of their operation, Greenbaum said.

Cicolini contended that the public would appreciate the Board of Health mandating pest control practices at restaurants as a requirement.

Considering the number of restaurants in town and the public health, Heffernan said he believes the board should consider options to require pest inspections more regularly than on an as needed basis.