Meat On Shopping Cart Doesn't Lead To Elk Grove Restaurant Code Violation

ELK GROVE (CBS13) — A shocking sight outside an Elk Grove Chinese restaurant. A photo snapped by a passerby captured meat hanging on a grocery cart in the heat. The picture made its way to thousands on social media, prompting concerns about a health hazard and an inspection by the Sacramento County Health Department.

The woman who snapped the photo tells CBS13 she was shocked when she saw strips of raw meat hanging over a shopping cart, and drying out in the sun, just outside Hong Kee Seafood Restaurant in Elk Grove. The picture was posted to Facebook and shared nearly 4,000 times, prompting a visit by Sacramento County health officials.

The Chinese food restaurant is at the corner of Calvine Road and Elk Grove/Florin Boulevard. According to the inspection report, which was obtained by CBS13, the meat in the photo is pork belly. The restaurant's owner claims an employee was drying it out outside for personal use. The owner also said pork belly is only used in one menu dish, but that specific dish does't require the meat be dried out. After ordering all the hanging meat be removed from the facility, inspectors reminded owners about food safety and sanitation. The restaurant did receive one violation for storing boxes of meat directly on the floor in the kitchen, but the report claims that issue was corrected on-site.

Hong Kee restaurant is still open for business.