Rodents marked their territory at a Broward wholesale empanada maker, an inspector found
Whatever pest control company a Hollywood wholesale empanada maker and seller used didn’t prevent rodents from causing the food maker to fail its second inspection since August.
On Tuesday, management at South Florida Food, 5801 Wiley St., showed Florida Department of Agriculture Inspector Novelette Williams proof of an exterminator’s visit on Nov. 15 after Williams spotted and counted rodent droppings in various places at the facility.
South Florida Food’s website declares: “Our plant, USDA and FDA approved, is dedicated to the production, wholesale distribution and retail commercialization of assorted Latin flavors such as empanadas, tequeños, pan de bono, pizzas and much more.”
Pizzas, empanadas, tequeños, pan de bono and milanesas sold under the Gustitos brand also come from South Florida Food, which got another “Re-Inspection Required” result from an Aug. 27 inspection conducted by the Ag Department for the FDA. That inspection is declared confidential by the federal agency.
Not confidential is what Williams found Tuesday:
▪ Ten rodent droppings sat “on the floor under the storage rack next to the wall by the water fountains. This area is located by the entrance of the main dough production room.” Williams hit the ambient storage area by the entrance of the dough production room with a Stop Use Order that she lifted after seeing the area cleaned and sanitized.
▪ Another eight pieces of dung sat “on the floor in the corner by the east side rolling bay door where products are received and delivered.”
▪ Two pieces of rodent regularity were spotted by the retail production room entrance.
▪ Three rodent droppings on a shelf with 50-pound bags of Ardent Mills Hotel & Restaurant All Purpose Flour, United Fine Granulated Sugar and Torino Long Grain Rice. All bags “were observed intact.”
▪ Three pieces of rodent poop “on top of the two water fountains located next to the same ambient storage shelf where the flour, rice and sugar are stored.”
Aside from the rodents, Williams saw 76 boxes of shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese in 5-pound bags on upper shelves with no proof of source. That meant they got Stop Sales. The inspection said South Florida Food claimed the cheese was being held for another party.
