Inspectors found multiple food safety violations in May at a golf course resort kitchen owned by President Trump.
The inspectors from Somerset County Department of Health found the kitchen at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey to have violations that “constitute gross insanitary or unsafe conditions, which pose an imminent health threat. . .”
The May 6 inspection resulted in a score of 32 out of 100 and earned the club a “C” rating.
Among the problems found was improperly stored meat. Inspectors also noted that hand-washing sinks were not in compliance — some did not have soap, one did not have paper towels and another was being used to store sanitation chemicals.
The club was out of compliance with three requirements in the “food protected from contamination” category, with violations including expired milk, raw meat stored improperly and a dishwasher that may not reach the required temperature. The first two problems were corrected during the inspection, with staff disposing of some food in the kitchen while inspectors were present.
According to the inspection report, “the health authority shall immediately request the person in charge to voluntarily cease operation until it is shown on reinspection that conditions which warrant an unsatisfactory evaluation no longer exist.”
Forbes published a report this week on the inspection and within three hours a reinspection was conducted, according to the media outlet. At that time the restaurant was given a “B” rating even though some problems remained. Those problems included milk and coffee creamers being kept at 50 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the required 41 degrees, sanitizer concentrations in wiping-cloth buckets that were too low and mops being stored in buckets rather than being air-dried.
In a response to questions from The Hill, the club manager said the inspection was politically motivated.
“Never before have we witnessed such visceral hostility from the health department. This is clearly nothing more than a politically motivated attack,” David Schutzenhofer, general manager of Trump National Bedminster said.
Some health violations remained at the time of the reinspection. The county did not indicate when another inspection was scheduled.
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