FDACS Citation 3-501.15(B): Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or
FDACS citation 3-501.15(B) (Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 136 citations in the past 12 months across 304 Florida facilities. General food safety requirement.
Sourced from Florida FDACS public inspection records, Jan 2022–present.
Under Florida FDACS inspection rules, citation 3-501.15(B) (Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or) is a general violation addressing Food standards.
What the Code Says
3-501.15(B) — Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or
Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or
— FDA Food Code / Florida FDACS Inspection Standards (FAC 5K-4)
uncovered to facilitate heat transfer from the surface of the food, or not arranged in equipment to provide
maximum heat transfer through the container walls.
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
| County | Citations |
|---|---|
| Pinellas | 17 |
| Palm Beach | 13 |
| Miami-Dade | 13 |
| St. Johns | 12 |
| Seminole | 12 |
| Polk | 8 |
Most Cited Facilities
| Facility | City | Times Cited | Last Cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Food Supermarket | Apopka | 3 | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Gonzalez Bakery & Meat | Groveland | 2 | Dec 3, 2025 |
| Winn Dixie # 2246 | Apopka | 2 | Nov 12, 2025 |
| County Line Mobil | Plant City | 2 | Nov 7, 2025 |
| Sushi With Gusto | Delray Beach | 2 | Oct 9, 2025 |
| Astatula Mexican Market LLC | Unit A Astatula | 2 | Mar 18, 2025 |
| One Island Kitchen | Orlando | 2 | Dec 10, 2024 |
| Tienda Mexicana | Apopka | 2 | May 5, 2023 |
Recent Inspector Observations
Grocery Outlet 7716, Lynn Haven—
Establishment is cooling hot held whole chickens in closed containers in walk in cooler overnight.
Seven Brothers Foodmart, Lakeland—
Food service area: Shredded chicken that is cooling has tight fitting lid in reach-in cooler. COS: Lid was removed from container to allow proper cooling.
Starbucks #49084, Palm Coast—
Food service: house made sweet cream stored cooling in cambros with tight fitting lids not allowing for heat transfer for ambient cooling.
Key Food Supermarket, Daytona Beach—
Kitchen area: Black bean, Pinto bean, Green pigeon Peas chicken salad made the previous day were covered not allowing for heat to escape from the container. COS: All product was voluntarily discarded by management under citation 18.
Sam's Club # 6212, Orlando—
Cafe - Observed prepared pizza at 51 degrees F and 60 minutes later 51 degrees F, the pizzas were in a covered speed rack. COS: The plastic cover was removed to allow cool air flow.
Galafresh Farms, Lake Worth—
Bakery: Flan and cheese cakes inside walk-in cooler packaged in closed containers before being properly cooled.
Frequently Cited Alongside 3-501.15(B)
6-501.11
3-501.16(A)(2)
2-501.11
4-501.11
3-501.16(A)(1)
3-302.11(A)(1)
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(B)?
- FDACS citation 3-501.15(B) (Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or) is a General violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or uncovered to facilitate heat transfer from the surface of the food, or not arranged in equipment to provide maximum heat transfer through the container walls.
- How serious is FDACS violation 3-501.15(B) (Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or)?
- General (General): General food safety requirement. This code has been cited 324 times across 304 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
- Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-501.15(B)?
- FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-501.15(B) (Time/temperature control for safety food that is cooling is not loosely covered or) has been cited at 304 such facilities across Florida, with 136 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.
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.