Unsafe food and dirty slicers inside a Miami-Dade Publix that failed state inspection
There weren’t the usual end-of-the-week good feelings at a North Miami-Dade Publix after it failed a Florida Department of Agriculture inspection on Friday.
This doesn’t mean the Publix at 14641 Biscayne Blvd. is closed. Unlike failed restaurant inspections by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Department of Agriculture failed inspections of supermarkets, grocers, convenience stores, food processors, distributors and storage facilities don’t close the establishment. But, an inspector can put Stop-Use Orders on enough equipment or areas that management decides the establishment can’t operate efficiently enough to open.
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Inspectors Jose Pavon and Pedro Llanos didn’t have to drop any Stop-Use Orders in this Publix. But, here’s some of the 54 violations they did find.
In the seafood area, there was “a bulk netted package of live clams commingled with dead ones located on ready rack inside a walk-in cooler.”
The deli area had “multiple meat slicers not cleaned and sanitized within four hrs, used at 8 a.m. and was not cleaned at 12:05 p.m.”
Also, the deli area’s three-compartment sink had “soil buildup” through the compartments.
Still in the deli area...”old food particles throughout the bottom shelves of a prep table next to the cooking station” and “multiple single-service items stored inside a box with old food particles located on the bottom shelf of a prep table next to the cooking station.
The deli walk-in cooler had not only a “soiled floor” but standing water.
The bakery also displayed “old food particles throughout the floor located inside the walk-in cooler.”
The retail area had “multiple packages of in-house sliced cheese” in the Boars Head display cooler that measured 43 to 45 degrees. Proper food safety says that needs to be kept at 41 degrees or below. Basura.
Similarly, in the deli area, cooked ribs, chicken and a container of rice that needed to be kept above 135 degrees measures at 118 to 125 degrees. Workers were given a chance to reheat these food products to 165 degrees for 15 seconds.
This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 2:15 PM.
