Roaches on the run got part of a Broward Publix bakery shut down for five days
THURSDAY, SEPT. 28 UPDATE: The Stop-Use Order got released on Wednesday. The “affected areas were cleaned, sanitized, checked, and released and food entity has implemented a pest management control program,” Inspector Pedro Llanos wrote.
ORIGINAL STORY: The bread display rack at a Davie Publix’s bakery got taken out of business Friday and the problem could threaten this Publix’s ability to receive new food for a time in the future.
Running roaches were among the few violations spotted by a Florida Department of Agriculture inspector, but they were enough for the Publix at 4701 S. University Dr. to get “Re-Inspection Required,” the worst result for an Ag Department inspection.
Ag Department inspectors, who inspect packaged food sellers from bookstores to supermarkets, can’t completely close down an establishment the way restaurant inspectors from a different state agency can. What they can do is put Stop-Use Orders on equipment or areas.
And, that’s what Inspector Pedro Llanos did.
Llanos noted a “heavy accumulation of ice” on the walk-in cooler’s condenser unit in the meat area. He let an employee remove the offending “fly glue stick hanging over the three-compartment sink.”
But when he “observed multiple living roaches on the bread rack between the bakery and deli wall,” Llanos fired a Stop-Use Order on the retail bakery’s bread display. A Stop-Use Order’s function is defined by the name.
“The affected storage areas must be completely cleared of all merchandise, cleaned and sanitized by the next inspection,” the inspection said. “No other merchandise may be added to the storage area or a Broken Stop-Use will be issued.”
Perhaps even worse would be another sighting of “multiple living roaches” on the re-inspection, which will take place on or before Oct. 6.
“If evidence of pest infestation is observed on the next inspection, a Stop-Use Order will be issued on all receiving areas of the establishment and the establishment will no longer be allowed to receive additional food items.”
This story was originally published September 25, 2023 at 9:26 AM.
