FDACS Citation 3-501.13: Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that

Overview

FDACS citation 3-501.13 (Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 54 citations in the past 12 months across 337 Florida facilities. General food safety requirement.

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

GeneralPriority Level
Ch. 3Food
54Citations (12 mo)
350Total Citations
337Facilities Cited

FDACS citation 3-501.13 (Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that) is a general food safety violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code.

What the Code Says

3-501.13 — Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that

Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that
maintains the food at 41°F or less, completely submerged under cold running water with sufficient velocity
to agitate and float off loose particles, or as part of the cooking process. When thawed under cold running
water, ready-to-eat food allowed to rise above 41°F or raw animal food allowed to be above 41°F for more
than 4 hours. 3-501.13 (A)-(D)

— 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 3-501.13 citations
CountyCitations
Miami-Dade24
Palm Beach18
Pinellas16
Broward13
St. Johns8
Polk8

Most Cited Facilities

Florida FDACS facilities most cited for 3-501.13
FacilityCityTimes CitedLast Cited
La Raza 2 Mexican Grocery Jacksonville 2 Dec 5, 2025
Pineapples Ac2 (mobile) Crawfordville 2 May 7, 2025
Super Presidente Delray Beach 2 Feb 4, 2025
Pompano Supermarket Pompano Beach 2 Sep 9, 2024
El Mundo Supermarket Hialeah 2 May 17, 2024
Target # 0690 Port Charlotte 1 Apr 2, 2026
Love's Travel Stop # 0228 Polk City 1 Apr 1, 2026
Foodtown # 0802 West Palm Beach 1 Mar 23, 2026

Recent Inspector Observations

Target # 0690, Port Charlotte—

DISH/PREP AREA: Wraps thawing at room temperature on prep rack. (COS) Wraps stored in standing cooler during inspection.

Love's Travel Stop # 0228, Polk City—

Love's Kitchen Area- Observed commercially processed chicken being thawed in a tub of standing water. COS- Chicken was moved to an approved thawing method during inspection.

Foodtown # 0802, West Palm Beach—

Kitchen- frozen oxtail sitting on counter to thaw. COS- product placed in walk in cooler to thaw.

Churromania, Miami—

Kitchen - Hot Dogs were found thawing at ambient temperature in ware wash sink with no running water. COS, water faucet was turned on.

E M J Food Mart LLC, Lutz—

Warewashing area: Bag of raw pork placed in sink to thawed. COS: Employee put in a bucket and thawed under running water.

Carroll's Meat Shoppe, Jacksonville—

Meat Room: Cases of meat thawing at room temperature. (COS) Products were moved to the walk-in cooler to complete the thawing process.

Frequently Cited Alongside 3-501.13

6-501.11

Physical facilities not maintained in good repair

294 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(2)

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

169 co-citations

2-501.11

Establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when

163 co-citations

3-302.11(A)(1)

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

163 co-citations

4-501.11

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

158 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(1)

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

150 co-citations

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FDACS citation code 3-501.13?
FDACS citation 3-501.13 (Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that maintains the food at 41°F or less, completely submerged under cold running water with sufficient velocity to agitate and float off loose particles, or as part of the cooking process. When thawed under cold running water, ready-to-eat food allowed to rise above 41°F or raw animal food allowed to be above 41°F for more than 4 hours. 3-501.13 (A)-(D)
How serious is FDACS violation 3-501.13 (Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that)?
General (General): General food safety requirement. This code has been cited 350 times across 337 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-501.13?
FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-501.13 (Time/temperature control for safety food not thawed under refrigeration that) has been cited at 337 such facilities across Florida, with 54 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.

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