FDACS Citation 3-501.16(A)(2): Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below
FDACS citation 3-501.16(A)(2) (Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below) is a Priority violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 1,068 citations in the past 12 months across 2,949 Florida facilities. Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action.
Sourced from Florida FDACS public inspection records, Jan 2022–present.
Under Florida FDACS inspection rules, citation 3-501.16(A)(2) (Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below) is a priority violation addressing Food standards.
What the Code Says
3-501.16(A)(2) — Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below
Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below.
— FDA Food Code / Florida FDACS Inspection Standards (FAC 5K-4)
Priority Classification
Priority (P): Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action.
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 | 229 |
| Pinellas | 165 |
| Palm Beach | 129 |
| St. Johns | 105 |
| Polk | 83 |
| Volusia | 76 |
Most Cited Facilities
| Facility | City | Times Cited | Last Cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foodtown # 0802 | West Palm Beach | 4 | Mar 23, 2026 |
| Gonzalez Bakery & Meat | Groveland | 4 | Dec 18, 2025 |
| Bravo Supermarket | Orange City | 4 | Dec 15, 2025 |
| First Stop Enterprise INC. | Orlando | 4 | Aug 14, 2025 |
| Thai Super Bowl | Orlando | 4 | Jul 28, 2025 |
| Bagelicious Deli and Bakery | Ocala | 3 | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Advanced Fresh Concepts Pb 0658 | Miami | 3 | Aug 28, 2025 |
| Llr Bakery Franchise LLC | Pembroke Pines | 3 | Jun 23, 2025 |
Recent Inspector Observations
Smoothie King #2121, Tarpon Springs—
Front Food Service Area: In reach in cooler, temperature controlled for safety foods had internal temperature above 41 degrees F (hard boiled eggs 45 F, Greek yogurt 50 F). COS. Products voluntarily discarded by person in charge. x
Ocean Breeze Street Foods LLC, Palm Bay—
Reach in cooler: Soups, fish, Jamaican patties had an internal temperature of 47-50 degrees F taken with an accurate and calibrated thermometer. COS: See Supplement x
Vw Circle K - 2708626, Tampa—
Walk In Cooler: Internal temperatures of whole milk, cheese, and lunchables recently placed on shelf nearest walk in cooler door measure between 44 F and 45 F. COS: Out of temperature products relocated to freezer to quick chill to 41 F or below before placed in proper refrigeration in back of walk in cooler where temperature is colder or discarded as needed. Print Date: 4/1/2026 Page 1 of 2 Repeat COS x Y x x Y x
Antojitos Mexicanos Bendicion, Fort Pierce—
Kitchen- Chorizo held in reach in cooler had internal temperature of 48 degrees F measured using an accurate thermometer. COS- Chorizo was moved to another reach in cooler to cool down. Smoked Sausage, Ham and Sour Cream had internal temperatures of 52-52 degrees F. COS- Items were voluntarily discarded by management in presence of inspector. x
Herbal Connections, Palm Coast—
Retail: Internal temperature of time/temperature control for safety food Green Smoothie, containing kale, spinach, and lettuce at 49F degrees located inside air screen cooler. Manager states product was delivered approximately one week prior to inspection. See Stop Sale and Release Order. COS: Employee voluntarily discarded out of temperature time/temperature control for safety Green Smoothies. x
Planet Smoothie, Lake Mary—
Service Area: Opened container of almond milk in the top of the prep station had an internal temperature of 45 degrees F. (COS) Almond milk was voluntarily discarded during inspection. See stop sale and release order. x
Frequently Cited Alongside 3-501.16(A)(2)
6-501.11
4-501.11
2-501.11
6-501.12
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 3-501.16(A)(2)?
- FDACS citation 3-501.16(A)(2) (Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below) is a Priority violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below.
- How serious is FDACS violation 3-501.16(A)(2) (Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below)?
- Priority (P): Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action. This code has been cited 3231 times across 2,949 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
- Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-501.16(A)(2)?
- FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-501.16(A)(2) (Cold held time/temperature control for safety food not maintained at 41°F or below) has been cited at 2,949 such facilities across Florida, with 1,068 citations in the past 12 months.
- What does a Priority FDACS violation mean?
- A Priority FDACS violation means: Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action. 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.