FDACS Citation 3-202.15: Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents

Overview

FDACS citation 3-202.15 (Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents) is a Priority Foundation violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 48 citations in the past 12 months across 282 Florida facilities. Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures.

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

Priority FoundationPriority Level
Ch. 3Food
48Citations (12 mo)
287Total Citations
282Facilities Cited

FDACS citation 3-202.15 (Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents) is a priority foundation food safety violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code.

What the Code Says

3-202.15 — Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents

Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents
so that the food is not exposed to adulteration or potential contaminants.

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

Priority Classification

Priority Foundation (Pf): Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures.

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 3-202.15 citations
CountyCitations
Pinellas22
St. Johns12
Pasco12
St. Lucie12
Palm Beach9
Polk8

Most Cited Facilities

Florida FDACS facilities most cited for 3-202.15
FacilityCityTimes CitedLast Cited
Green Apple Meat Market Hobe Sound 2 Oct 28, 2025
Sams Club # 4972 Port St Lucie 2 Aug 20, 2025
Aldi #142 Lutz 2 Jul 18, 2024
Aldi # 0035 Sebring 1 Apr 2, 2026
Vw Circle K - 2708626 Tampa 1 Apr 1, 2026
Taqueria Dos Hermanos Gibsonton 1 Mar 27, 2026
Thrifty Specialty Produce of Palm Bay Incorporated Palm Bay 1 Mar 23, 2026
Foodtown # 0802 West Palm Beach 1 Mar 23, 2026

Recent Inspector Observations

Aldi # 0035, Sebring—

Retail area- various canned food displayed on shelves are dented. COS- dented cans of food removed from retail and placed in the receiving area in their damage/credit area.

Vw Circle K - 2708626, Tampa—

Retail Area: One package of Hostess Zinger cake unsealed on shelf. COS: Damaged product removed from retail sale and relocated to segregated foods held for credit.

Taqueria Dos Hermanos, Gibsonton—

Retail: Canned beans dented at the seams. COS: Canned beans voluntarily discarded.

Thrifty Specialty Produce of Palm Bay Incorporated, Palm Bay—

Retail- Vacuum sealed packages of salted pork feet had lost package integrity and had air in them. COS- Packages were voluntarily discarded by management during inspection. See stop sale and release.

Foodtown # 0802, West Palm Beach—

Retail: Dented cans of beans displayed on shelf. COS: Dented cans were voluntarily discarded with inspectors. See stop sale order and release.

Dollar General # 14918, Cocoa—

Retail: Found multiple dented can on retail shelf. COS: Manager moved the dented cans to the back room

Frequently Cited Alongside 3-202.15

6-501.11

Physical facilities not maintained in good repair

234 co-citations

2-501.11

Establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when

140 co-citations

6-501.12

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

115 co-citations

5-501.11

Receptacles and waste handling units for refuse, recyclables, and returnables not

111 co-citations

4-501.11

Equipment not maintained in good repair or condition; equipment component not

86 co-citations

3-302.11(A)(1)

Raw animal food not separated during storage, preparation, holding or display from

85 co-citations

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FDACS citation code 3-202.15?
FDACS citation 3-202.15 (Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents) is a Priority Foundation violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents so that the food is not exposed to adulteration or potential contaminants.
How serious is FDACS violation 3-202.15 (Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents)?
Priority Foundation (Pf): Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures. This code has been cited 287 times across 282 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-202.15?
FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-202.15 (Food package not in good condition or does not protect the integrity of the contents) has been cited at 282 such facilities across Florida, with 48 citations in the past 12 months.
What does a Priority Foundation FDACS violation mean?
A Priority Foundation FDACS violation means: Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures. 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.

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