Belle of CincinnatiFederal food officials downgraded of the classification of the catering arm of BB Riverboats Inc., a riverboat cruise company operating on the Ohio River, to provisional because of multiple violations of safe food handling and holding regulations.

The director of the Food and

Among the violations cited by the FDA inspectors was the lack of sneeze guards or other measures to protect food from contamination.
Among the violations cited by the FDA inspectors was the lack of sneeze guards or other measures to protect food from contamination.

Drug Administration’s Cincinnati district office notified the company’s president and owner, David Bernstein, of the action switching the Landing’s Galley catering operation from “approved” to “provisional” in a Nov. 23 warning letter made public in recent days.

According to the riverboat company’s website, no cruises are scheduled this week. The status of the holiday season cruises is unknown.

FDA inspected the operation on June 29-30, July 6 and July 11, including the passenger vessels, caterer, watering point and service area at BB Riverboats’ fixed base in Newport, KY.

The company’s flagship, the Belle of Cincinnati, and its River Queen boat both had multiple food safety problems including improper food handling by staff, food buildup and dirt on equipment, and red, black and pink mold on equipment and surfaces.

Employees failed to wash their hands at required points in food preparation and handling and failed to change gloves at appropriate times.

Inspectors also noted flying insects, a dead insect in a deep fryer well, leaking and standing water, food held at improper temperatures and problems with the water system on one boat.

“On the River Queen, a direct connection exists between the vessel’s potable water supply and A/C cooling and heating systems without backflow protection,” according to the warning letter.

“Based on these inspectional findings, a ‘Provisional’ classification has been assigned to your Landing’s Galley facility for a 30-day period, after which time a re-inspection will be conducted. A ‘Provisional’ classification means that the vessel, caterer, watering point, and service area may continue to operate; however, significant corrections of observed violations must be made. If significant correction is not made by the time of the next inspection, FDA will reclassify the vessel, caterer, watering point, and service area as ‘Non-Approved.’ ”

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