"Fenway food stands failed inspections; Fell short on opening day, cleared after 19 games" by John C. Drake, Globe Staff | June 12, 2008
Fenway Park's food stands flunked city health inspections on more than a dozen health and safety measurements on Red Sox opening day April 8, from storing food at unsafe temperatures to failing to clean food preparation counters....
Thousands of $4 hot dogs and $6 Italian sausages passed across the counters before the Red Sox concession stands finally passed a city health inspection on May 16....
In the initial visit, on April 1, inspectors found sausages thawing in stagnant water, employees handling raw burgers without changing their gloves, and rodent droppings underneath service counters, city records show....
The inspection reports paint an unsettling portrait of the Fenway dining experience.One food stand was cited for "sausages thawing in stagnant water" and employees eating in a back kitchen. Another was cited for having "a large amount of food crumbs and rodent droppings under the pizza oven," and soiled sinks. Still another had "rodent droppings along floor and inside the hole in the wall" and "rodent droppings underneath the service counter."
One vendor was cited for a "black moldlike substance" on the inside of a refrigerator, soiled frialator cabinets," "rodent droppings throughout the stand," and a sink that was not set up to wash, rinse, and sanitize. Another was ordered to "remove foul odor from stand" and to "clean drains to remove odor."
The Fenway food warehouse racked up a page and a half of violations, including paper products stored within 6 inches of the ground and rodent droppings on boxes of cutlery....
Fans streaming into the park for yesterday's home game were upset to learn that the concession stands had been cited.
Katherine Fleischhasker, a 24-year-old fan from Somerville:
"I eat Fenway Franks all the time, and I had no idea. It's kind of upsetting."
Dan Curran, 18, of Wenham:
"I brought $25 with me, which will probably only get me something like a hot dog and a Coke, and I would hope they would at least be clean."
I'll bet they get good food up in the boxes!!!
