FDACS Citation 3-501.15(A): Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective
FDACS citation 3-501.15(A) (Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective) is a Priority Foundation violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 74 citations in the past 12 months across 227 Florida facilities. Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures.
Sourced from Florida FDACS public inspection records, Jan 2022–present.
Citation 3-501.15(A) — Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective — is classified as a priority foundation violation under Florida FDACS inspection standards in the Food chapter.
What the Code Says
3-501.15(A) — Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective
Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective
— FDA Food Code / Florida FDACS Inspection Standards (FAC 5K-4)
methods based on the type of food being cooled.
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
| County | Citations |
|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 14 |
| St. Johns | 11 |
| Pinellas | 10 |
| Volusia | 7 |
| Palm Beach | 7 |
| Seminole | 5 |
Most Cited Facilities
| Facility | City | Times Cited | Last Cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzalez Bakery & Meat | Groveland | 3 | Dec 18, 2025 |
| Key Food Supermarket | Apopka | 3 | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Blessing Bakery | Orlando | 2 | Aug 1, 2025 |
| Supermercados El Bodegon Grocery | Greenacres | 2 | Dec 17, 2024 |
| Vw Diaz Supermarket 1 | Naranja | 2 | Apr 12, 2023 |
| Taqueria Dos Hermanos | Gibsonton | 1 | Mar 27, 2026 |
| Lorenzo Ruiz Cruz Distribution | Tampa | 1 | Mar 19, 2026 |
| La Estancia Aventura | Aventura | 1 | Mar 18, 2026 |
Recent Inspector Observations
Taqueria Dos Hermanos, Gibsonton—
Kitchen: Large plastic buckets of sauces with the lid put on it, is trying to be cooled in the walk-in cooler. Cooling methods were reviewed with management.
Lorenzo Ruiz Cruz Distribution, Tampa—
Kitchen area: Cooked chicken placed in deep tightly covered container for cooling not cooled to 41 F within 6 hours. Cooling methods reviewed with person in charge.
La Estancia Aventura, Aventura—
Backroom: Beef cooling from earlier in the day in large covered containers. COS Beef was placed in shallow pans and uncovered.
Taco Madre LLC, Plant City—
Processing area: Plastic containers and large of tomatoes and beans are trying to be cooled in the walk-in cooler. Cooling methods were reviewed with the owner and employees.
Siberian Food, Hallandale Beach—
Food service: chicken cooling in tightly packed plate. Salad cooling in the display cooler covered. COS all items uncovered and spread out.
Wynn's Family Market, Naples—
KITCHEN: Prepared on site chicken pot pies cooling on speed rack near blast chiller found with internal product temperature 70 degrees F. COS: Food items voluntarily discarded and proper cooling methods were discussed with person in charge during inspection.
Frequently Cited Alongside 3-501.15(A)
6-501.11
3-501.16(A)(2)
2-501.11
3-501.16(A)(1)
3-501.14(A)
2-103.11(A)-(N)
References
- Florida FDACS Food Establishment Inspections
- FDA Food Code (Current Edition)
- Florida Administrative Code Chapter 5K-4
- All FDACS Citation Codes
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is FDACS citation code 3-501.15(A)?
- FDACS citation 3-501.15(A) (Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective) is a Priority Foundation violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective methods based on the type of food being cooled.
- How serious is FDACS violation 3-501.15(A) (Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective)?
- Priority Foundation (Pf): Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures. This code has been cited 239 times across 227 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
- Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-501.15(A)?
- FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-501.15(A) (Cooling of time/temperature control for safety food not accomplished by effective) has been cited at 227 such facilities across Florida, with 74 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.
Editorial Standards & Data Oversight
Data Source: Florida FDACS public inspection records, Jan 2022–present. Exclusive archive — FDACS removes records after 4 years.
Citation Standard: FDA Food Code as adopted by Florida FDACS under Florida Statutes Chapter 500 and FAC 5K-4.
Editorial Process: Content generated using AI to synthesize complex regulatory data and inspection records, then reviewed and verified for accuracy by our editorial team.
Disclaimer: Citation descriptions reflect the FDA Food Code and Florida FDACS inspection standards current at time of publication.
Editor: All content reviewed and verified by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., Nationally Registered EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
This page is maintained by FloridaFoodSafety.org. How we collect and verify this data.