While most students were reveling in the lazy days following
fall quarter finals, a minor battle took place on the first floor
of Ackerman Union.
Insects were discovered in the kitchen of the Sbarro eatery on
campus, causing the restaurant to close down for two days in
December.
“The campus kitchen was clean and our store was clean, but
(the insects) found a place to hide in the walls,” said Tony
Missano, the president of business development for Sbarro
Corporation. “There was an area in the middle of the kitchen
where the insects were living.”
As soon as the problem was identified, the Los Angeles County
health inspector mandated a 48-hour closure to clean up the
infestation.
Once Sbarro was made aware of the problem, the restaurant called
a national exterminator to fix the infestation.
Missano declined to identify the exterminator.
“The goal is to keep the restaurant clean, so when (this)
happened, we quickly cleaned it up. We would not be open if it
wasn’t safe. It’s our responsibility to keep a great
restaurant,” Missano said.
Before the discovery of the insects, the eatery was designated a
“Grade A” restaurant.
Though Missano said the majority of Sbarro restaurants are given
the highest grade, the Sbarro eatery at UCLA was lowered to
“Grade B” status.
“I believe Sbarro will have the opportunity to move up to
being a “˜Grade A’ (eatery) again,” said Roy
Champawat, associate director of Associated Students UCLA Food
Services. “(ASUCLA) tries to partner with and work with our
tenants to make sure they are doing good work.”
A tenant of the first floor of Ackerman for the last seven
years, Sbarro has never encountered an insect infestation like this
before.
“It was a freak thing; we were all caught by
surprise,” Missano said.
In early December 2006, both Taco Bell and Jamba Juice in
Ackerman Union encountered health problems, as they both received
shipments of bacteria-contaminated ingredients.
Jamba Juice halted shipments from the carrier of contaminated
strawberries and Taco Bell stopped using green onions that were
possibly infected by E. coli bacteria.
Such precautions are common to Ackerman Union, Champawat
said.
“We expect any of our tenants to address any health
issues,” Champawat said.
“We expect them to maintain their area to the satisfaction
of the county health inspector,” he said.
He added that ASUCLA’s relations with Sbarro would not
change because of the recent insect scare.
“Unless a restaurant is able to demonstrate to the L.A.
County health inspector that the concern that brought about the
closure is fixed, the store will not be allowed to reopen,”
Champawat said.
“Since this incident has been properly addressed, it
won’t affect our relations.”
Peter Gjerset, a third-year English student and a regular of the
Ackerman eateries, said the insect infestation at Sbarro will not
deter him from eating at Sbarro.
“It doesn’t bother me. I trust (Sbarro) to make food
that isn’t going to make me sick,” Gjerset said.
“I trust they’re doing the best they can.”