FDACS Citation 3-501.17(B): Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and
FDACS citation 3-501.17(B) (Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and) is a Priority Foundation violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 413 citations in the past 12 months across 1,283 Florida facilities. Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures.
Sourced from Florida FDACS public inspection records, Jan 2022–present.
Citation 3-501.17(B) — Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and — is classified as a priority foundation violation under Florida FDACS inspection standards in the Food chapter.
What the Code Says
3-501.17(B) — Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and
Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and
— FDA Food Code / Florida FDACS Inspection Standards (FAC 5K-4)
packaged by a food processing plant not clearly marked, when opened onsite and held for more than 24
hours, to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed, sold, or discarded when held at
41°F or less for a maximum of 7 days; or the day the original container is opened onsite not counted as day
1.
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 | 98 |
| Palm Beach | 83 |
| Pinellas | 66 |
| Polk | 38 |
| Pasco | 37 |
| Sarasota | 36 |
Most Cited Facilities
| Facility | City | Times Cited | Last Cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fadded Ape 9318 | Tampa | 3 | Nov 4, 2025 |
| Delana's Nutrition Center | Pompano Beach | 3 | Aug 11, 2025 |
| Seven Brothers Foodmart | Lakeland | 2 | Mar 31, 2026 |
| Shop N Go | Webster | 2 | Mar 30, 2026 |
| Sushi With Gusto | Boca Raton | 2 | Feb 23, 2026 |
| El Tesoro Supermarket | Hialeah | 2 | Feb 20, 2026 |
| Galafresh Farms | Lake Worth | 2 | Feb 17, 2026 |
| Jupiter Donuts | Lake Worth | 2 | Dec 17, 2025 |
Recent Inspector Observations
Beach Bum Bagels, Vero Beach—
Kitchen- Milk in reach in cooler, opened more than 24 hours ago was not properly date marked. Retail- Milk and Half & Half in reach in cooler, opened more then 24 hours was not properly date marked. COS- Items were properly date marked by management during inspection.
Gemstone Gh LLC, Zephyrhills—
Retail area: Coffee creamer (french Vanilla and Half and half ) held open more than 24 hours in bulk creamer dispenser not labeled with date they were open. COS: Employee wrote correct date on Coffee creamer.
Dunkin Donuts # Pc 330235, Deland—
Milk reach in cooler: Gallon of milk stated to have been opened the previous morning did not have the date of opening of product. COS: Date of opening applied to gallon of milk. x
Seven Brothers Foodmart, Lakeland—
Food service area: No date marking on nacho cheese opened 4 days prior, heavy cream opened 6 days prior, and sausages opened 24 hours prior in reach-in cooler. COS: All mentioned foods were date marked. Y x
Shop N Go, Webster—
Prep area: Gallon of milk not dated COS milk was dated it was opened 4 days ago. COS: Employee dated the milk. Print Date: 3/30/2026 Page 1 of 3 Y x 26 P x Citation Description: Poisonous or toxic materials not stored to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles by separating the poisonous or toxic material by spacing or partitioning, or locating the poisonous or toxic material in an area that is not above food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles. 7-201.11 P Observation: Food service area: Chemical spray stored near prep table for pizza, Back area: cleaning soap stored directly above ice machine. COS: All chemicals product were moved to a designated area.
Triple M Petroleum INC, West Palm Beach—
Backroom: Whipped cream opened more than 24 hours was not date marked. COS: Whipped cream was voluntarily discarded during visit. x
Frequently Cited Alongside 3-501.17(B)
6-501.11
2-501.11
3-501.16(A)(2)
6-501.12
5-205.11
3-501.16(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 3-501.17(B)?
- FDACS citation 3-501.17(B) (Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and) is a Priority Foundation violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and packaged by a food processing plant not clearly marked, when opened onsite and held for more than 24 hours, to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed, sold, or discarded when held at 41°F or less for a maximum of 7 days; or the day the original container is opened onsite not counted as day 1.
- How serious is FDACS violation 3-501.17(B) (Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and)?
- Priority Foundation (Pf): Supports Priority items. Failure to meet these facilitates food safety failures. This code has been cited 1354 times across 1,283 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
- Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-501.17(B)?
- FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-501.17(B) (Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared and) has been cited at 1,283 such facilities across Florida, with 413 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.