FDACS Citation 2-401.11: Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,

Overview

FDACS citation 2-401.11 (Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,) is a General violation under Chapter 2 (Personnel) of the FDA Food Code, with 349 citations in the past 12 months across 995 Florida facilities. General food safety requirement.

Sourced from Florida FDACS public inspection records, Jan 2022–present.

GeneralPriority Level
Ch. 2Personnel
349Citations (12 mo)
1,076Total Citations
995Facilities Cited

Under Florida FDACS inspection rules, citation 2-401.11 (Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,) is a general violation addressing Personnel standards.

What the Code Says

2-401.11 — Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,

Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,
utensils, and linens, unwrapped single service and single use articles or other items could become
contaminated.

— FDA Food Code / Florida FDACS Inspection Standards (FAC 5K-4)

Priority Classification

General (General): General food safety requirement.

Florida FDACS uses the FDA Food Code priority system — Priority (P) violations have a direct link to foodborne illness; Priority Foundation (Pf) violations support food safety systems; Core (C) violations are good retail practices with no direct illness link.

Citations by County

Florida counties with the most 2-401.11 citations
CountyCitations
Miami-Dade138
Palm Beach60
Broward35
Sarasota34
St. Johns25
Pinellas22

Most Cited Facilities

Florida FDACS facilities most cited for 2-401.11
FacilityCityTimes CitedLast Cited
Nuevo Siglo Supermarket Miami 3 Apr 27, 2023
Las Delicias Del Caribe LLC Miami 2 Mar 27, 2026
Galafresh Farms Lake Worth 2 Feb 17, 2026
Taste of Europe Food Coral Springs 2 Jan 14, 2026
Ami 101 Food Mart Eastpoint 2 Dec 29, 2025
Sun Stop #0314 Lake City 2 Dec 11, 2025
Gonzalez Bakery & Meat Groveland 2 Dec 3, 2025
Dominos Pizza 5168 Fort Pierce 2 Dec 3, 2025

Recent Inspector Observations

Sarahs Tent, Aventura—

Processing Area: Employee open beverages stored on prep tables at time of processing, employee eating fries at time of processing. COS: Employee stopped by manager instructed to wash hands and discard food. Meat Area: Employee beverage on prep table at time of processing. Salad Area: Employee beverage on prep table at time of processing.

Las Delicias Del Caribe LLC, Miami—

Back - Employee personal drink stored on preparation table where food preparation is taking place. COS, employee drink was removed from area.

Ellianos Coffee, Jacksonville—

Food processing area - Multiple Employee drinks on processing table next to food.

Super Star K # 4100, Lauderdale Lakes—

Food service - Employee personal bottle of water was found in cold holding unit where open foods were being handled.

Thrifty Specialty Produce of Palm Bay Incorporated, Palm Bay—

Kitchen- Employee water bottles located on lower shelf under mixer in food preparation area. COS- Water bottles were moved during inspection.

The Standard Clcl, The Villages—

Food service area: food employee eating drinking coffee in food prep area. COS: Employee stopped and moved to designated area. Discussed with employee about where drinks could be consumed.

Frequently Cited Alongside 2-401.11

6-501.11

Physical facilities not maintained in good repair

999 co-citations

2-501.11

Establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when

575 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(2)

Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below

458 co-citations

5-205.11

Handwashing sink not maintained so that it is accessible at all times for employee

425 co-citations

6-501.12

Physical facilities not cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean, or cleaning

412 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(1)

Hot held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 135°F or above,

411 co-citations

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FDACS citation code 2-401.11?
FDACS citation 2-401.11 (Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,) is a General violation under Chapter 2 (Personnel) of the FDA Food Code. Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, and linens, unwrapped single service and single use articles or other items could become contaminated.
How serious is FDACS violation 2-401.11 (Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,)?
General (General): General food safety requirement. This code has been cited 1076 times across 995 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 2-401.11?
FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 2-401.11 (Employee eating, drinking or using tobacco where exposed food, clean equipment,) has been cited at 995 such facilities across Florida, with 349 citations in the past 12 months.
What does a General FDACS violation mean?
A General FDACS violation means: General food safety requirement. FDACS (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) uses this classification system — Priority (P), Priority Foundation (Pf), and Core (C) — aligned with the FDA Food Code.

This page is maintained by FloridaFoodSafety.org. How we collect and verify this data.