DeKalb coffee shop fails health inspection, vows to fix errors

Georgia has rules it requires every food service operation to follow. These are just a few of the many health and safety regulations. Food service operations without a permit are illegal. Employees must know how to prevent foodborne illness and the symptoms of those illnesses. Food must be kept at the correct temperatures to prevent pathogens from growing. Employees must meet standards of cleanliness while working around food. If health laws are not met, the food service's permit may be suspended.

A coffee shop in DeKalb County failed its health inspection Thursday, but the owner said it plans to correct the violations by next week.

Friendship Coffee House, located on Memorial Drive in the Stone Mountain area, serves organic coffee imported from Ethiopia.

The business received nearly a dozen violation during the inspection, receiving a score of 65, according to the DeKalb County Board of Health. An inspector noticed an employee preparing coffee without properly washing their hands, according to the report.

There was also a container with moldy food and mango that was identified as a personal item. The inspector also saw plastic containers and cloths that were not stored properly.

Nearly all of the violations were corrected during the inspection.

Mariam Mohammud, the owner of Friendship Coffee House, said the shop was closed for several weeks and opened back up on Thursday, the day of the inspection. Mohammud said she wasn’t there at the time.

“Everything should be good and back to normal by next week,” she said. “I want to make sure I get 100, or at least above 90.”

Mohammud said an inspector will visit the coffeehouse next week for a follow-up inspection.

The business opened in January, and received a passing score of 92 on its first health inspection. It is located in International Trade Mall on Memorial Drive, just north of Pine Lake.

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