LIFE CAFE

🚫 CLOSED BY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Address
60 WEST 23 STREET
Manhattan, NY 10010
Cuisine
Other
Inspection Type
Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection
Violations
9 total
⚠ 8 critical
Facility History
7 inspections

Violations Cited

⚠ CRITICAL 04P

Food containing a prohibited substance held, kept, offered, prepared, processed, packaged, or served. Required succinct nutritional statements not posted on menu(s) for adults and children (2,000 calories per day for adults) Additional nutritional information statement not posted, or additional nutritional information not provided Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.

Food containing a prohibited substance held, kept, offered, prepared, processed, packaged, or served.

⚠️ Why This Matters

HEALTH HAZARD: This critical violation creates immediate risk of foodborne illness. Studies link Food containing a prohibited substance h to bacterial contamination and outbreak events. Must be corrected immediately to protect public health.

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Follow NYC Health Code Article 81 requirements. Implement corrective action immediately. Document all corrections. Train staff on proper procedures. Schedule follow-up inspection if critical.

⚠ CRITICAL 04A

Food Protection Certificate Not Held by Supervisor

Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.

⚠️ Why This Matters

KNOWLEDGE GAP: Establishments without certified managers have 2.5x more critical violations. Lack of food safety knowledge directly correlates with foodborne illness outbreaks. Certified managers reduce outbreak risk by 60% through proper training and oversight.

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Obtain Food Protection Certificate immediately through NYC-approved course. Certificate holder must be present ALL operating hours. Post certificate conspicuously. Maintain valid certification (renew every 5 years). Train all staff on food safety basics.

CDC Risk Factor: Poor Personal Hygiene - Knowledge Factor
NYC Health Code Article 81, Section 81.15
⚠ CRITICAL 04J

NYC Health Code Violation 04J

Properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot/cold holding areas to measure temperatures of TCS foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding.

⚠️ Why This Matters

HEALTH HAZARD: This critical violation creates immediate risk of foodborne illness. Studies link NYC Health Code Violation 04J to bacterial contamination and outbreak events. Must be corrected immediately to protect public health.

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Follow NYC Health Code Article 81 requirements. Implement corrective action immediately. Document all corrections. Train staff on proper procedures. Schedule follow-up inspection if critical.

⚠ CRITICAL 20-08

Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 Β°F. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies. Food allergy information poster not conspicuously posted where food is being prepared or processed by food workers. Properly scaled and cali

Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information

⚠️ Why This Matters

HEALTH HAZARD: This critical violation creates immediate risk of foodborne illness. Studies link Failure to post or conspicuously post he to bacterial contamination and outbreak events. Must be corrected immediately to protect public health.

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Follow NYC Health Code Article 81 requirements. Implement corrective action immediately. Document all corrections. Train staff on proper procedures. Schedule follow-up inspection if critical.

⚠ CRITICAL 10B

Plumbing Not Properly Installed or Maintained

Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.

⚠️ Why This Matters

WATER CONTAMINATION: Backflow can siphon sewage into water supply, contaminating entire facility. Cross-connections spread pathogens throughout plumbing. Sewage backups create immediate health hazard. Can affect hundreds through contaminated water.

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Install backflow preventers on ALL required fixtures. Maintain air gaps (2x pipe diameter minimum). Fix all leaks immediately. Ensure proper drainage - no standing water. Regular plumbing inspection. No direct connections between sewage and water supply.

CDC Risk Factor: Environmental Contamination
NYC Health Code Article 81, Section 81.23
β€’ MAJOR 16-06

NYC Health Code Violation 16-06

Additional nutritional information statement not posted, or additional nutritional information not provided

⚠️ Why This Matters

CONTAMINATION RISK: This violation supports conditions allowing bacterial growth and pest activity. NYC Health Code Violation 16-06 violations associated with 25% increase in illness risk. Correction required within 24-48 hours.

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Follow NYC Health Code Article 81 requirements. Implement corrective action immediately. Document all corrections. Train staff on proper procedures. Schedule follow-up inspection if critical.

⚠ CRITICAL 06C

Food not protected from contamination

Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

⚠️ Why This Matters

Unprotected food exposed to bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and physical contaminants

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Cover all food; store 6 inches off floor; protect from customer contamination; use sneeze guards

CDC Risk Factor: Contaminated Equipment/Protection from Contamination
NYC Health Code Article 81, Section 81.09
⚠ CRITICAL 02G

Cold TCS Food Held Above 41Β°F

Cold TCS food item held above 41 Β°F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 Β°F; intact raw eggs held above 45 Β°F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.

⚠️ Why This Matters

DANGER ZONE GROWTH: Between 41-70Β°F, E. coli doubles every 30 minutes. Salmonella doubles every 20 minutes at 70-90Β°F. After just 4 hours above 41Β°F, bacteria levels can cause severe illness including bloody diarrhea, kidney failure (E. coli), and typhoid fever (Salmonella).

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Keep all cold TCS foods at 41Β°F or below (smoked fish 38Β°F, shell eggs 45Β°F). Monitor with calibrated thermometer every 2-4 hours. Ice baths must surround container to food level. Repair refrigeration immediately. DISCARD foods above 41Β°F for over 4 hours.

CDC Risk Factor: Improper Holding/Time & Temperature
NYC Health Code Article 81, Section 81.09(c)
⚠ CRITICAL 06F

Wiping Cloths Not Stored in Sanitizer

Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.

⚠️ Why This Matters

CONTAMINATION SPREAD: Dirty wiping cloths spread millions of bacteria across every surface wiped. Bacteria double every 20 minutes on damp cloths. One contaminated cloth can spread pathogens to 30+ surfaces, causing facility-wide contamination.

πŸ“‹ Code Requirements

Store wiping cloths in sanitizer AT ALL TIMES between uses: 50-100ppm chlorine or 200-400ppm quaternary ammonium. Change solution when visibly dirty or every 4 hours. Use separate cloths for food contact vs non-food contact. Test sanitizer concentration every 2 hours.

CDC Risk Factor: Contaminated Equipment
NYC Health Code Article 81, Section 81.21
Inspector's Action:

Establishment Closed by DOHMH. Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring im

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