HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT State inspector Erica Ryan, at right, checks out the kitchen at the Pahrump Winery with staff members Keena Kalinowski and Michelle Iarrobino during a recent visit, RELATED STORY No health district, but inspections take place Advertisement

Nevada Administrative Code 446 adds up to 55 pages in a printer. It deals with everything from temperatures to store food, procedures for the return to work for sick employees, chemicals required in dish washing machines, procedures for displaying baked goods, dispensing utensils and serving ice.

One Pahrump food establishment was given two weeks to ensure all the staff understood the food rules or face a suspension of permit in May 2006. The same restaurant was given a favorable grade two weeks later.

State inspector Erica Ryan often puts encouraging comments in her reports for food establishments making improvements, sometimes adding a smiley face.

An inspection of the same place in January 2007 indicated eggs and vegetables were kept together at room temperature. But another report two weeks later complimented the owners for "excellent work ... establishment clean and properly operated. Keep up the effort." However, employees still needed to attend a Serv Safe class.

One bar manager was told last June waitresses shouldn't serve food to bar customers. Bar customers can get take-out containers from adjoining restaurants to eat in bar areas where smoking is permitted, but not regular plates delivered by a waitress.

Food like raw shellfish can be especially delicate. Inspectors found a carton of raw oysters at one restaurant with a harvest date 15 days earlier. Code requires the oysters be cooked within 14 days of harvest.

Some establishments were written up for not labeling food properly. Food that is prepared and stored in an establishment for later use must have a label that includes the contents and the date on which the food was prepared.

Dishwashers were sometimes found not to be hot enough. Code requires water in dishwashers to be at least 150 degrees, or at least 120 degrees if chemicals are used to wash dishes. One restaurant didn't have the kit to test the chemicals.

Temperatures for food products were also common violations. A container of day-old taco meat at 49 degrees was discarded at one local restaurant during a May 2005 inspection. A bad smell was noted adjacent to the food preparation area, while food contact surfaces were extremely dirty.

A food establishment inspected in June 2006 was cited for having raw chicken stored above prepared foods, which may cause cross-contamination. The code requires raw food be stored below cooked or ready-to-eat items.

The same restaurant had problems repeatedly getting food cooled down enough in the refrigerator after cooking. A thermostat found one dish was still 103 degrees three hours after being refrigerated; it should have been cooled to 72 degrees.

One Pahrump restaurant last August drew five negative marks for critical items dealing with temperature control, food protection, personnel and plumbing. Flies were in excess, and owners were asked to use an air curtain at the rear door, eliminate openings and other access points for insects.

The owner was told to put lids on food items and put ready-to-eat food above raw food. There was no thermometer to check food temperatures. Floor drains under the ice machine were dirty and there was no hand soap in the sink.

The same restaurant was written up in June 2006 for many of the same violations and told the critical situations must be addressed right away.

One establishment drew the following write-up last November: excessive flies and cockroaches, clean all areas, remove food debris and standing water; secure or close all openings; provide no hiding spaces; contract with a certified pest control company; attend ServSafe; fix leaking faucet; significant improvement demanded within 24 hours.

Two weeks later, inspectors noted improvements, though owners were told to continue to caulk cracks and make an appointment with a pest control firm. Beans and cheese were still above the 40 degrees required for cold storage. But a plumbing leak was fixed and two new thermometers acquired. All bulk containers were labeled and dated.

A state inspector noted the large casinos have their own compliance protocols.