It's not a good sign when the health inspector rating your establishment notices a red substance on the sink and can't figure out what it is.
That's what happened at a Birmingham butcher shop, which was dinged on its latest health inspection for "dried blood residue."
The inspector appeared unsure of the substance, adding a "(?)" to their report from the Nov. 13 inspection.
The butcher shop and a whopping 25 other restaurants, convenience stores and other food establishments in the county received scores of 84 or below when they were inspected last month, according to Jefferson County Health Department data.
Restaurants that fall below the 85-score threshold are required to be reinspected within 60 days.
Some establishments have already had reinspections -- meaning they don't appear on this list and the actual number of restaurants who received sub-85 scores was initially higher than 26.
Among the infractions cited by county health inspectors included pests like roaches and flies, food being out of temperature -- which poses risks of illness -- and grime and mold.
Here are those 26 establishments, in descending order. Restaurants with identical scores are listed in alphabetical order:
Cut tomatoes, diced tomatoes and cut lettuce were not date marked.
A knife was stored on a dirty magnetic surface with accumulated food debris.
Two chemical bottles were stored without labels.
Chemical test strips were unavailable at the time of the inspection.
Mexican sausage with a best by date of July 3 - about four months past the date of the inspection - was available for sale.
Black mold was present inside the ice machine, ice chute and both sides of the ice baffle.
Not all hand sinks had signs notifying employees to wash their hands.
An accumulation of dust was seen on ceiling tiles and light fixtures above the prep area.
Food safety training documentation was not readily available.
The hand sink by the pizza make table was leaking.
The establishment did not have an approved drainage system for gray water.
Drink nozzles in the drive-thru and lobby areas were dirty.
The service sink was being used for grease disposal.
Food safety training was not provided for all employees.
Food debris was on the floor throughout the establishment.
Food in to-go containers were not labeled for sale.
A live roach was seen on the wall by the three-compartment sink.
Raw meat was stored in grocery bags in the walk-in freezer.
Molten lava cakes in the walk-in cooler were contaminated by a condensation leak.
Floors were dirty.
Cooked pasta was being kept at an inappropriate temperature.
The establishment prepared and sold friend chicken and porkchops from a raw state without the proper permits.
There were no paper towels in the bathroom.
There was a "buildup of trash and debris" around the premises.
The hand sink was being used as storage for a ham tray near the meat cutter.
The women's bathroom did not have any handwashing signage.
Current employees did not sign health policy forms at the time of the inspection.
Several meats and other foods prepared three days before the inspection were in the reach-in cooler without being date marked.
Bare tortillas and lettuce were stored in grocery bags in the reach-in cooler.
The interior of the ice machine in the back storage area had "black residue."
Both a can opener blade and the inside of the ice machine had "black residue."
Several utensils and bowls were stacked and stored while wet.
Food safety training was not provided for all food handlers.
Raw, uncovered fish was stored above bread and next to cut lettuce in the walk-in cooler.
There was no documentation of staff receiving food safety training.
The mart was selling chicken curry, gravy and rice made in the house belonging to the person in charge.
Sugar and salt containers were not labeled.
The inside of the crushed ice machine had "black residue."
A large container of cooked pasta was out of temperature.
Items were stored in sauce and seasoning containers without labels.
Boxes of raw chicken were stored directly on the floor in the walk-in freezer.
Food was stored beyond the 7-day refrigerated storage limit.
Smoked turkeys cooked the previous day were kept at inappropriate temperatures.
Water to the 3-compartment ware washing sink was insufficiently hot.
Insects were seen crawling on the prep sink under storage cubbies.
An employee did not receive food handler training.
The inside of a cabinet under the food bar had an accumulation of dust.
Chicken was kept at lower than acceptable temperatures.
The hand sink at the end of the meat cases had "dried blood residue(?)"
The meat grinder had old, dried meat on the inside.
A fly trap was located over equipment and utensils.
The meat case was rusted and showing signs of wear.
A dicer was stored with dried food debris on the blade.
Food scissors in storage next to the make line had "residue accumulation."
The ventilation hood on the right side of the make line as "dripping with grease residue."
Dead roaches were found on the wall, prep sink and the floor in the back prep area.
There was mold in the ice machine.
The reach-in cooler was leaking onto several foods.
Salmon at the sushi bar was kept at an inappropriate temperature.
Most of the menu items were not marked with an asterisk indicating raw or undercooked animal foods may increase the risk of foodborne illnesses.
The floor of the freezer had grime and debris.
Drains under the sinks and dish machine had black grime buildup.