A Fort Lauderdale grocery store, Shop-N-Save, faced sweeping shutdown orders on Friday after a state inspection revealed numerous health and safety violations. Among the most alarming findings were wastewater draining onto the property, employees using a urinal as a sink, and mold found in food preparation areas.
Inspection Findings
The Florida Department of Agriculture inspector, Leni Zunino, issued Stop Use Orders for several areas of the store due to critical health code violations. A previous Stop Use Order from 2021 also remained in effect. Here are the key violations found during the inspection:
Improper Use of Facilities
- Urinal as a sink: In the backroom, a urinal was being used as a service sink, and a mop sink was repurposed as a wash sink for employees.
- No soap or hot water: Handwashing sinks in the backroom and food service areas lacked soap, and there was no hot water at any of the sinks, including the three-compartment sink used for cleaning.
Food Safety Concerns
- Mold and soil buildup: The peanut boiler and tongs used to handle food, such as patties, had visible mold-like substances and soil buildup.
- Cracked eggs and improper storage: Raw eggs, some of which were cracked, were not stored at safe temperatures.
- Restroom adjacency: Food was being prepared on a table located next to a restroom door, which opened directly into the food preparation area.