It was not a happy new year for five Jefferson County food establishments.

As Jefferson County Health Department inspectors visited dozens of restaurants in January, five scored an 84 or below, which means they will get a second visit from a health inspector within 60 days.

Infractions ranged from “black residue” on soda nozzles to floors “soiled with residue and debris” to some establishments not training their employees on food safety.

The restaurants, in order from highest score to lowest, are:

Saltgrass Steak House

2943 John Hawkins Pkwy., Hoover

Score: 84

Critical violations: 3

This steak house chain restaurant in Hoover lost 13 points from critical violations after a Jan. 10 visit from the Jefferson County Health Department.

Its worst violation came from violating a section of the health code requiring toxic items to be stored away from food, utensils, equipment, linens and single service/single-use articles.

The inspector observed a sanitizer bucket with ammonia sitting directly on a cutting board on the prep table.

An unlabeled spray bottle with an unknown chemical was stored on a shelf above the prep table.

Meanwhile, the nozzles of the soda guns in the bar area had “black residue/build-up,” according to the inspector.

A dicer stored under the prep table for clean equipment had old food debris on the food contact surface.

Quick Shop #23 – Deli/Pizza Hut

4623 Granstwood Dr., Irondale

Score: 84

Critical violations 2

This combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bell operating out of the Quick Shop gas station in Irondale lost eight points from two critical violations from a Jan. 8 inspection.

The inspector noticed several utensils and pans “soiled with residue and debris” while a drink can was sitting inside the handwashing sink.

Meanwhile, the convenience store’s floors were “soiled with residue and debris throughout the facility.”

Irondale Shell

5400 Beacon Dr., Irondale

Score: 78

Critical violations: 3

This gas station had 13 points knocked off its score just from critical violations after a Jan. 5 visit from a health inspector.

The inspector witnessed a “heavy accumulation of gnats under hand sink cabinetry” while also spotting the facilities’ floors “soiled with debris and residue.”

The inspector also found the establishment did not allow utensils to air dry before stacking; pots under the hand sink “have heavy accumulation of water inside,” the inspector wrote.

Waffle House #1908

636 Bessemer Super Hwy., Fairfield

Score: 72

Critical violations: 5

This Waffle House in Fairfield had five critical violations responsible for reducing its total score by 22 points following a Jan. 3 inspection.

Among the violations were that a manager could not locate employee health policy forms for staff, “staff with very long nails handling customers’ food” and “staff handling food [while wearing] nail polish without gloves.”

The Waffle House was also cited for staff storing dirty dishes in the hand sink, keeping waffle mix at higher than acceptable temperatures and food stored in containers without a marked date.

Wing Master

1860 Center Point Pkwy., Birmingham

Score: 65

Critical violations: 7

Wing Master lost 39 points off its score from critical violations alone and had the lowest food service score in Jefferson Countyf or January.

During a Jan. 24 visit from a health inspector, employees were seen not changing gloves after potential contamination, such as touching their face or handling soiled items.

Wing Master also didn’t provide food safety training to its workers, according to the inspector’s report.

The establishment did not keep foods such as egg rolls, raw tilapia, raw chicken tenders and fried chicken at appropriate temperatures, which meant the food had to be thrown out.

A box of open egg rolls had “condensation leaking inside box,” the inspection report stated.

The inspector also cited a dirty ice machine and said a bowl was used to scoop ingredients instead of using utensils.