Ballpark scores high on food-safety test, but tony club's marks don't cut it

Sometimes, it's good to be an Average Joe.

Enjoy that pretzel and beer in the bleachers at Citizens Bank Park tonight and know that it's about as healthy as it's going to get.

According to Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspections, most of the stadium is in compliance when it comes to food-safety issues.

But high-fliers take note: The tony Diamond Club had violations ranging from fruit flies in the bar area to "visible physical evidence of rodent/insect activity," according to a PDA report dated last September.

Prices and fancy furnishings don't matter when it comes to food safety, said Chris Waldrop, director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America.

"It all depends on the management at those facilities and what importance they place on food safety," Waldrop said.

"It has less to do with how much you're paying at the restaurant and more to do with if the restaurant believes food safety is important and instills that in their workers and their culture."

Aramark provides food and concession services to the park.

Spokesman David Freireich said in an e-mail that food safety was "our top priority."

"We have rigorous employee training and quality-assurance processes, and we continuously invest to enhance our food training, resources and safeguards. Issues in past reports have been addressed, and any time we learn about issues we take prompt action to investigate and remedy all concerns," Freireich said.

Diamond Club patrons interviewed at last night's game said that they were happy with the cleanliness and overall operations of the club.

"I think the report was a little misconceiving because they didn't really give a lot of information," said Will Lowry of Texas. "But it's just a ballpark. I don't really care."

ESPN's "Outside the Lines" originally compiled and reviewed the Health Department inspection data for 107 arenas and stadiums around North America.

Even with the Diamond Club being "out of compliance," Citizens Bank Park fared well in the rankings, especially compared with its cross-state rivals. Where 29 percent of CBP vendors were found guilty of some sort of health-code violations, more than 50 percent of vendors at the Pirates' PNC Park were found in violation.

(Maybe there's something about Pittsburgh: A live roach was reported atop a soda dispenser in a high-end club at the Penguins' Mellon Arena.)

Elsewhere at the sports complex in South Philadelphia , Lincoln Financial Field had the highest percentage of vendors with violations: 33 percent. At the Wells Fargo Center (the just-renamed Wachovia Center), 15 percent of vendors had violations.

At Citizens Bank Park, a few locations received critical violations for "not having a food-safety-certified supervisor present." Other violations included a lack of hand-washing facilities and a missing food thermometer.

"They may not sound as gross as bugs or rodent droppings, but they really have a huge impact on the safety of the food," Waldrop said.

Maintaining high standards is especially challenging in a stadium environment, Waldrop said. People want their food before they miss too many pitches. Employees are working in cramped spaces with less room for storing and preparing food. Being outdoors makes it easier for pests to get in.

In an e-mail statement, Bonnie Clark, the Phillies' communications vice president, called Aramark "a great partner."

"Overall, our health inspections have been stellar and we expect that to continue since Aramark takes the well-being of our fans as seriously as the Phillies do," she said.

Staff writer Christine Olley contributed to this report.