Pittsburgh Popcorn Co.: Inspector mistook burned kernels for droppings; alert lifted

A representative from Pittsburgh Popcorn Co. says Allegheny County Health Department inspectors misidentified burned popcorn kernels as mouse droppings when they issued a consumer alert for the Strip District shop Friday .

That alert was lifted Tuesday after a reinspection, according to a county web page.

The department typically reinspects facilities a few days after issuing an alert to see if the alert can be lifted or if the facility has to be temporarily closed.

The county inspection report from Friday said droppings “in the thousands” were found, including inside a popcorn popping machine, inside bagged popcorn and seasoning packets and on prep tables.

“During the normal day course, black burnt popcorn hulls and kernels scatter throughout the store, which were misidentified and mislabeled by the department as droppings,” Rob Day, a representative for the company, said in a statement.

Ryan Scarpino, department spokesman, declined to comment on the company's statement.

“At NO TIME were there mouse droppings, on our poppers, popcorn containers, and/or prep table surfaces,” Day wrote. “ALSO, there were NOT thousands of droppings in our store. No mice EVER CAME INTO CONTACT WITH OUR FOOD, as all food is sealed air tight and not stored in the basement area. We do keep defunct machinery in the basement but it was left out of the report that this equipment and machinery was defunct and out of service.”

In addition, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has been conducting construction and demolition activity on 21st Street where the shop is, which kicked up debris in the basement, where defunct machinery is kept, Day said.

Will Pickering, PWSA spokesman, said the authority has not conducted such work in that area recently.

The company's employees have addressed the issues in the basement, Day said.

Theresa Clift is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 412-380-5669, tclift@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tclift.