No new orders were issued in the latest inspection, meaning the Albert Lea high school lunchroom is clean.
Some students have said the lunchroom is dirty and unsanitary. Numerous students have issued complaints about the lunchroom but when asked to go on record nobody was willing so Ahlahasa chose not to publish them. According to Bill Adler, the freeborn county health inspector, the lunchroom is in tip top condition.
The inspection report said a lot of good things about the lunchroom staff and prep area.
–Gloves are worn for all food handling tasks.
–Ready-to-eat products are dated and labeled and turn over appears fast.
–Food (tomatoes used for test food) in the walk-in cooler is being held at less than 41 deg. F.
–Hot holdings in the main kitchen are steam table (ground meat) was being held at more than 150 deg. F.
–Food hot held in the Cres-Cor hot cabinet was being held at more than 140 deg. F.
–The dish machine final rinse was more than 180 deg. F.
–Temperature logs are being maintained for both hot and cold foods.
–Thermocouples are used for monitoring food temperatures.
–Staff knowledge about food safety is First Rate.
Jayne Sigurdson, the certified food manger, has been with the Albert Lea High School lunch staff for many years, and she has never seen anything horribly bad issued about the staff and the cleanliness. Sigurdson has nothing bad to say about the staff and their work ethics. Sigurdson was happy, but not surprised, to see there were no negative findings.
“There are never negatives findings and very few places are inspected twice a year,” she said. “So to have no negative it’s pretty good. High schools are required to get inspected twice a year.”
Some students make negative comments about the food and the cleanliness of the lunchroom. Sigurdson hears them.
“I don’t respond well to bad comments and I would rather have them present their concerns with me,” Sigurdson said.
Sigurdson hears a lot about what the lunchroom staff has to offer. New menu items are coming out this year and students don’t appreciate that.
The lunchroom staff will be required to learn new ways to prepare food and new ways to handle it. To them time goes fast, and sometimes it seems there is not enough time, but they get it done.  New ideas are thrown out all the time and they are for the students.
“The lunchroom staff is very good with people,” Sigurdson said. “And I enjoy working with them.”
When walking to lunch students might not think about how much hard work goes into making their food and how hard it is too clean up after.  It’s not about what kind of food it is, it’s about the love and preparations the women have for their job.  The lunchroom staff works hard, and they try to make it the best for the students.
“Lunch should be relaxing,” Sigurdson said, “and we try our best to make it enjoyable.”