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Black Seed

PASS

Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 2:42 PM

Address
140 TREMONT ST
Chinatown, MA 02111
Category
FS
Violations
4 total
⚠ 3 major
Facility History
12 inspections
5 failures

Violations Cited

⚠ MAJOR 590.003/3-501.17-PF
✓ Corrected

Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food Date Marking (Pf)

Wrapped cheese and ham obsevred with no date marking in walk in cooler. Provide date marking for all foods held longer than 24 hours.

Why This Matters

This violation supports conditions that may lead to foodborne illness

Code Requirements

Immediate correction required. Follow health code section 105 CMR 590.003. Implement proper temperature control procedures. Train all staff. Document corrective actions taken.

Mass. Code: 105 CMR 590.003 | FDA Code: Section 3
⚠ MAJOR 590.003/3-602.11-PF
✓ Corrected

Food Labels (Pf)

No labels on orange juice and rice pudding in grab and go station. Provide.

Why This Matters

This violation supports conditions that may lead to foodborne illness

Code Requirements

Immediate correction required. Follow health code section 105 CMR 590.003. Implement proper food labeling procedures. Train all staff. Document corrective actions taken.

Mass. Code: 105 CMR 590.003 | FDA Code: Section 3
⚠ MAJOR 590.005/5-202.12-PF
✓ Corrected

Handwashing Sinks Installation (Pf)

Service counter hand sink at 80F. Hot water at all other hand sinks. Repair to have water at least 100F at hand sink.

Why This Matters

WITHOUT HOT WATER: Bacteria removal drops by 75%. Studies show proper handwashing with hot water and soap removes 99.9% of bacteria, while cold water only removes 25%. This dramatically increases risk of spreading E. coli, Salmonella, and Norovirus - responsible for 89% of foodborne illness outbreaks.

Code Requirements

Immediate action required: Provide hot water (100-120°F) at ALL handwashing sinks. Install water heater if needed. Temporary solution: heat water for handwashing until repairs complete. Staff must wash hands every 30 minutes, after touching face/hair, handling raw foods, using restroom.

Mass. Code: 105 CMR 590.005 | FDA Code: Section 5
• MINOR 590.002/2-402.11-C
✓ Corrected

Effectiveness-Hair Restraints (C)

Employee on production line observed with no hair restraint. Provide.

Why This Matters

CONTAMINATION RISK: Average person sheds 50-100 hairs daily. Each hair can carry up to 1 million bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus from hair causes rapid food poisoning (1-6 hours) with severe nausea, vomiting, and cramps. Cannot be killed by reheating once toxin forms.

Code Requirements

All staff handling food MUST wear: hairnets, caps, or effective hair restraints covering all hair; beard nets for facial hair over 1/4 inch; no loose hair touching shoulders. Provide hair restraints for all staff immediately.

Mass. Code: 105 CMR 590.002 | FDA Code: Section 2
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Data sourced directly from Boston Inspectional Services Department