FDACS Citation 3-501.13(E): Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen

Overview

FDACS citation 3-501.13(E) (Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 53 citations in the past 12 months across 128 Florida facilities. General food safety requirement.

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

GeneralPriority Level
Ch. 3Food
53Citations (12 mo)
131Total Citations
128Facilities Cited

Citation 3-501.13(E) — Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen — is classified as a general violation under Florida FDACS inspection standards in the Food chapter.

What the Code Says

3-501.13(E) — Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen

Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen
until time of use not removed from the reduced oxygen environment prior to thawing under refrigeration, or
prior to or immediately upon completion of thawing under cold running water.

— 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(E) citations
CountyCitations
Miami-Dade18
Orange5
Palm Beach5
Polk5
Volusia4
Marion3

Most Cited Facilities

Florida FDACS facilities most cited for 3-501.13(E)
FacilityCityTimes CitedLast Cited
Price Choice Foodmarket / Jmn Deli Miami 2 Feb 10, 2023
Kooler Ice - Aliana Meat Market Tampa 1 Apr 2, 2026
Fujisan Sushi Holly Hill 1 Mar 24, 2026
Foodtown # 0802 West Palm Beach 1 Mar 23, 2026
Sushi With Gusto Establishment #: 403553 Panama City 1 Dec 15, 2025
Publix # 0393 Jacksonville 1 Dec 1, 2025
Publix # 0768 South Daytona 1 Nov 18, 2025
Publix # 1330 Deltona 1 Nov 13, 2025

Recent Inspector Observations

Kooler Ice - Aliana Meat Market, Tampa—

Retail area: Raw Tilapia labeled to remove from vacuum packaging prior to thawing is soft to the touch in open air freezer. Tilapia was overly stacked in freezer. The bottom fish was frozen solid. COS: Tilapia was voluntarily discarded. Stop sale and released, see orders.

Fujisan Sushi, Holly Hill—

Seafood : Reduced oxygen packaged whole tuna observed thawing without being removed from the reduced oxygen packaging environment. COS - Package was opened during the visit

Foodtown # 0802, West Palm Beach—

Seafood department- reduced oxygen packaged fish stored in display cooler. COS- fish voluntarily discarded during visit.

Sushi With Gusto Establishment #: 403553, Panama City—

Reach in cooler: Tuna was thawed in ROP packaging that was labeled for product to be removed before thawing. Tuna had internal temperature of 39F and was still in package. COS: Person in charge threw packages away. See stop sale and release orders.

Publix # 0393, Jacksonville—

Stockroom : Reduced Oxygen Packaged imitation crabmeat containing fish and clearly marked advising to remove from packaging to thaw, not removed from packaging to thaw. COS : Still frozen product removed from packaging to thaw.

Publix # 0768, South Daytona—

Walk in Cooler: Reduced oxygen packaged tuna and were not removed from package to thaw. Packaging of tuna states to remove from packaging before thawing. COS: Items were still in the thawing process and employee opened packaging to continue the thawing process.

Frequently Cited Alongside 3-501.13(E)

6-501.11

Physical facilities not maintained in good repair

100 co-citations

3-501.16(A)(2)

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

65 co-citations

2-501.11

Establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when

51 co-citations

3-302.11(A)(1)

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

49 co-citations

4-501.11

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

47 co-citations

6-501.12

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

45 co-citations

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FDACS citation code 3-501.13(E)?
FDACS citation 3-501.13(E) (Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen until time of use not removed from the reduced oxygen environment prior to thawing under refrigeration, or prior to or immediately upon completion of thawing under cold running water.
How serious is FDACS violation 3-501.13(E) (Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen)?
General (General): General food safety requirement. This code has been cited 131 times across 128 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-501.13(E)?
FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-501.13(E) (Reduced oxygen packaged fish that bears a label indicating it is to be kept frozen) has been cited at 128 such facilities across Florida, with 53 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.