State inspectors told staff at the 7‑Eleven at 4501 NW Seventh St. in Miami to trash cod‑fish croquetas and multiple pastelitos after a Tuesday visit ended with a "Re‑Inspection Required" result. The corporate‑owned store stayed open while inspectors logged ants, soiled equipment and hot‑case temperature flops that sent several ready‑to‑eat items straight to the garbage.
What inspectors found
Inspectors Amber Ruckdeschel and Luis Lopez reported "ants crawling on the exterior of the bakery case holding doughnuts and cookies," according to the Miami Herald. They also noted tongs at the self‑service roller grill that had not been washed after more than four hours, wet wiping cloths left next to a hand‑wash sink instead of in sanitizer, and employees skipping handwashing before prepping chicken wings. Under the Slurpee and soda machines, they documented a heavy buildup of liquid residue.
Temps and stop‑sales
Several hot‑case favorites, including cod‑fish croquetas, beef pastelitos and guava‑and‑cheese pastelitos, were holding at least 10 degrees below the 135°F required for safe hot‑holding. That triggered stop‑sale orders. "Each got hit with a stop sale and thrown in the garbage," as reported by the Miami Herald.
Why the store stayed open
The store falls under the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which issues follow‑up checks instead of automatic emergency closures when an inspection ends with a "Re‑Inspection Required" result. FDACS inspection summaries explain that re‑inspections are used when violations need verification that they have been corrected. The agency’s Food Permit Center also notes that FDACS can issue stop‑sale or stop‑use orders while a business remains open and awaiting re‑inspection. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services site outlines inspection outcomes and re‑inspection procedures.
Part of a wider pattern
This visit is one in a recent series of enforcement actions across the Miami area, where inspectors have ordered stop‑sale and stop‑use at convenience stores and bakeries and forced operators to toss exposed pastries and lukewarm ready‑to‑eat foods. Coverage of inspectors tossing lukewarm wings and pastelitos highlights similar FDACS crackdowns nearby.
What customers should know
FDACS advises that items placed under stop‑sale cannot be removed, discarded or returned without written release from an inspector. Customers who picked up hot‑case items they cannot confirm as safe are told it is better to discard them than risk getting sick. Anyone who feels ill after eating prepared foods from a store can file a complaint or report a suspected foodborne illness through the agency’s Food Permit Center, as detailed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
