Flies, bad food and a ‘black substance’ at a Miami-Dade Presidente Supermarket
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Presdiente problems with state inspections
Presidente Supermarkets have failed an unusual number of Florida Department of Agriculture inspections since June 2022.
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A store in North Miami is officially a “President Supermarket” but a Presidente Supermarket by any other name has failed inspection just the same.
Friday’s failed Florida Department of Agriculture inspection of the store at 450 NE 125th St. is the company’s first such inspection slip-up in Miami-Dade of 2023. While that might seem an improvement on the chain’s 2022, when at least 10 South Florida stores failed inspection, that river of filth didn’t begin really running until the spring.
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Unlike state restaurant inspections, Ag Department inspections of supermarkets, convenience stores, retail bakeries, food distributors or food storage facilities don’t close the facility, even with the worst result of “Re-Inspection Required.” But the inspector can slap Stop Use Orders on equipment or areas. Enough of those might cause the management to decide there’s no profitable operation in opening.
Here’s some of what Inspector Pedro Llanos found short of proper food safety standards:
▪ “A pattern of non-compliance was observed as evidence by violations for improper hand washing, hot & cold holding temperatures, sanitizing and lack of written procedures for vomit.”
▪ The backroom had “black substance found on interior ledge of the ice machine.”
▪ In the seafood area, “stained, mold-looking substance on ceiling tiles above the table saw” and “water leaking from under handwash sink pipes.”
▪ Also in the seafood area, “numerous small, flying insects observed around prep area.”
▪ The produce area also had “numerous small, flying insects observed around prep table in the backroom area” as well as “water leaking from pipes under the air conditioning condensation unit.”
▪ “Heavy dust buildup” on the fan guards in the meat area’s processing room.
▪ The food service area had tamales and ham croquettes measuring 107 to 121 degrees when 135 degrees is the minimum for safe, warm keeping. The tamales and ham croquettes got tossed in the trash.
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▪ Once deli meats are open, they’re supposed to be used within seven days. A pack of Jenni-O Hickey Smoked Honey Roasted Grand Champion turkey had been open for nine days. A pack of Sunset Farm Hot Souse had been open four days...plus three months. Yes, the open date read “1/24/23.”
▪ The retail shelves had packages of sprout in a reach-in cooler that needed to be under 41 degrees measuring 45 to 47 degrees. Cooked whole pork shoulder on the prep table measured in the food safety no man’s land of 107 degrees. Both, basura.
This story was originally published May 3, 2023 at 10:13 AM.
