FDACS Citation 3-304.14(B): Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between

Overview

FDACS citation 3-304.14(B) (Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 330 citations in the past 12 months across 637 Florida facilities. General food safety requirement.

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

GeneralPriority Level
Ch. 3Food
330Citations (12 mo)
676Total Citations
637Facilities Cited

Citation 3-304.14(B) — Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between — is classified as a general violation under Florida FDACS inspection standards in the Food chapter.

What the Code Says

3-304.14(B) — Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between

Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between
uses in a chemical sanitizer solution at a proper concentration as specified in the Food Code. 3-304.14(B)
(1)

— 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 3-304.14(B) citations
CountyCitations
Miami-Dade104
Palm Beach35
Pinellas34
Broward20
Marion18
Leon13

Most Cited Facilities

Florida FDACS facilities most cited for 3-304.14(B)
FacilityCityTimes CitedLast Cited
El Tesoro Supermarket Hialeah 2 Feb 20, 2026
Inglis Food Store Inglis 2 Jan 16, 2026
Fresh Florida Fisheries LLC Miami 2 Jan 9, 2026
Jupiter Donuts Lake Worth 2 Dec 17, 2025
Key Food Fresh Indiantown 2 Dec 9, 2025
La Fiesta Mexican Convenience Store Tampa 2 Nov 21, 2025
Circle K # 6274 Inglis 2 Nov 4, 2025
Latino Supermarket Clearwater 2 Nov 3, 2025

Recent Inspector Observations

Beach Bum Bagels, Vero Beach—

Kitchen- Wet wiping cloths held in quaternary sanitizer with a concentration below 150 PPM. COS- Quaternary sanitizer was remade at proper concentration and verified by inspector.

Ellianos Coffee, Jacksonville—

Food processing area - Multiple wet wiping towels not stored in sanitizing solution.

Foodtown # 0802, West Palm Beach—

Deli, kitchen, meat department, & bakery - in use wiping cloths stored on counter. COSwiping cloths placed in sanitizer solution during visit.

Golfeados 900, Medley—

Kitchen, Deli - Wet wiping cloths placed on the various preparation tables, not held in sanitizer solution between uses.

Smoothie King, North Miami Beach—

Food Service Area: Wet wiping cloth stored in bucket with water not held in sanitizer solution between uses. COS: Sanitizer solution was mixed with water and checked PH during inspection.

Kwik Stop, Fort Lauderdale—

Kitchen area- wet wiping cloths stored on prep table. COS- Wiping cloths were place in proper sanitizer concentration during inspection

Frequently Cited Alongside 3-304.14(B)

6-501.11

Physical facilities not maintained in good repair

597 co-citations

2-501.11

Establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when

368 co-citations

5-205.11

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

273 co-citations

2-102.11(C)(2)-(3)

Person in charge does not correctly respond to questions that relate to preventing

267 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(2)

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

263 co-citations

6-501.12

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

242 co-citations

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FDACS citation code 3-304.14(B)?
FDACS citation 3-304.14(B) (Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between uses in a chemical sanitizer solution at a proper concentration as specified in the Food Code. 3-304.14(B) (1)
How serious is FDACS violation 3-304.14(B) (Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between)?
General (General): General food safety requirement. This code has been cited 676 times across 637 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-304.14(B)?
FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-304.14(B) (Cloths in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces not held between) has been cited at 637 such facilities across Florida, with 330 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.