A leaking refrigeration unit contaminated romaine lettuce sprouts at a Metro Phoenix Safeway, while eight other grocery stores and convenience retailers were cited for keeping perishable food too warm. Maricopa County inspectors found the problems during a routine inspection sweep, with several businesses forced to discard or move food on the spot.
The Arizona Republic reported that county inspectors visited about 1,380 grocery stores, restaurants and other food-serving facilities during the week of July 13. Nine Metro Phoenix stores received one priority violation each, a designation reserved for major food-safety problems that can increase the risk of foodborne illness or injury.
Leaking Cooler Contaminated Romaine At Tempe Safeway
At the Safeway in Tempe, liquid from a refrigeration unit dripped onto romaine lettuce sprouts, contaminating the produce. The lettuce was discarded, according to the Maricopa County inspection report covering the inspection period.
Another Safeway, in Scottsdale, had raw meat, cheeses, cut vegetables, salsas and other refrigerated items stored too warm in malfunctioning display cases; those foods were also discarded, The Arizona Republic reported. At Albertsons in Litchfield Park, tofu, kimchi, cut vegetables and vegan cheeses were found too warm in a produce cooler and removed while the unit was scheduled for repair.
Warm Food Found Across Markets And Convenience Stores
The other cited businesses included Market Monarca in Phoenix, Cindy’s Mini Market in Surprise, Circle K locations in Tempe and Scottsdale, a 7-Eleven in Mesa and a Valero gas station in Mesa. Inspectors found warm milk, bacon, butter, sandwiches, yogurt, burritos, deli meats, cheese and other refrigerated foods, with some products discarded and others transferred to working coolers.
Maricopa County Environmental Services regulates grocery stores, convenience markets and gas stations that sell prepared food under food-safety rules similar to those used for restaurants. The department’s inspection system says priority violations require prompt correction because they directly contribute to an increased risk of foodborne illness or injury.
The latest sweep follows other recent Valley inspections that found warm dairy, malfunctioning coolers and improperly stored food. In an earlier roundup, Hoodline reported that inspectors found bottled milk near room temperature at a Phoenix convenience store and required unsafe items to be removed.
For shoppers, the inspection notes point to a familiar but unglamorous rule of grocery-store life: cold food needs to stay cold, and a broken cooler can turn into a serious food-safety problem quickly. In this inspection round, the county records show that affected products were discarded, removed or moved to properly functioning equipment.
