The Center for Science in the Public Interest examined food safety inspection reports for 539 restaurants in 20 cities, including Pittsburgh. Some key findings:

• Two-thirds of restaurants had at least one "critical" violation, the most serious type of infraction that could cause customers to get sick. The most frequent problem involved contaminated surfaces where food is prepared, ranging from rodent droppings on utensils and a leaky roof over a food-prep area to mold growing in ice machines. Restaurants also were cited for using dirty cloths to wipe tables and food areas.

• Among the 30 Pittsburgh restaurants reviewed, 21, or 70 percent, had at least one "critical" violation.

• In Pittsburgh, the most frequent hazardous violations involved poor hand washing and holding or storing food at unsafe temperatures.

• Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Boston had the most violations for hygiene problems among food service workers, including inadequate hand washing.

• New York, Philadelphia and Boston were the worst for rodent and insect problems.

• Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., were criticized for making it too difficult for consumers to see inspection reports.

-- Patricia Sabatini