FDACS Citation 3-501.18: Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not
FDACS citation 3-501.18 (Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not) is a Priority violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code, with 225 citations in the past 12 months across 705 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 3-501.18 (Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not) is a priority violation addressing Food standards.
What the Code Says
3-501.18 — Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not
Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not
— FDA Food Code / Florida FDACS Inspection Standards (FAC 5K-4)
discarded when it exceeds the 7-day limit, except time that the product is frozen, or does not bear a date
mark and the correct date mark cannot be determined.
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 | 28 |
| Pasco | 22 |
| Polk | 21 |
| St. Johns | 19 |
| Santa Rosa | 19 |
| Palm Beach | 18 |
Most Cited Facilities
| Facility | City | Times Cited | Last Cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Food Supermarket | Daytona Beach | 2 | Mar 20, 2026 |
| B & B Bar B Que | Apalachicola | 2 | Feb 23, 2026 |
| Walmart #767 Establishment #: 73583 | Lake City | 2 | Dec 17, 2025 |
| County Line Mobil | Plant City | 2 | Nov 7, 2025 |
| Winn Dixie # 2246 | Apopka | 2 | Oct 27, 2025 |
| Hitchcocks Supermarket | Old Town | 2 | Oct 22, 2025 |
| Jay Shree Krishna 22 LLC | Weeki Wachee | 2 | Sep 10, 2025 |
| East Palatka Markets INC. | East Palatka | 2 | Sep 2, 2025 |
Recent Inspector Observations
360 Food Store, Lynn Haven—
Kitchen: Container of commercially processed chicken held in three-door reach-in cooler since 3/9/25. COS: Product was voluntarily discarded. See Stop Sale and Release Order. x
Jacqueline's Bakery & Cafe, Melbourne—
Sandwich prep- Prosciutto held in sandwich cooler was not date marked and person in charge was not able to determine when it was opened. Chicken salad was held in sandwich cooler with a preparation date of 3/17. COS- Both items were voluntarily discarded by person in charge and witnessed by inspector. See stop sale and release. x
Key Food Supermarket, Daytona Beach—
Deli area: a variety of deli meats does not bear a date mark and the correct dates could not be determined. COS: All product was voluntarily discarded by managementSee Order x
The Fresh Market # 218, Boca Raton—
Food service: Pork Roll displayed in deli case were prepared 03/02 were not date marked during the visit on 03/08/2026. COS: Items were properly date marked during visit. See stop order and release. x
Joeys Italian Market, Odessa—
Deli area: Cannoli cream in walk-in cooler marked as prep 2/8 and not discarded within 7 days. COS: Employee voluntarily discarded the product. Stop Sale order and Release issued. x
B & B Bar B Que, Apalachicola—
Deli Department: Blackened turkey roast date marked for 02/08/26. Date of discovery 02/23/26. COS. Item was voluntarily discarded. Cooked beef topping found in pizza reach-in cooler not date marked. Date was unable to be determined. COS. Items were voluntarily discarded. See Stop Sale and Release. x
Frequently Cited Alongside 3-501.18
6-501.11
3-501.16(A)(2)
2-501.11
3-501.16(A)(1)
3-302.11(A)(1)
4-501.11
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 3-501.18?
- FDACS citation 3-501.18 (Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not) is a Priority violation under Chapter 3 (Food) of the FDA Food Code. Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not discarded when it exceeds the 7-day limit, except time that the product is frozen, or does not bear a date mark and the correct date mark cannot be determined.
- How serious is FDACS violation 3-501.18 (Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not)?
- Priority (P): Directly linked to foodborne illness or injury. Requires immediate corrective action. This code has been cited 732 times across 705 Florida FDACS-regulated facilities.
- Which types of Florida food businesses receive citation 3-501.18?
- FDACS inspects grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, food manufacturers, mobile vendors, and vending machines. Citation 3-501.18 (Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety food that requires date marking not) has been cited at 705 such facilities across Florida, with 225 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.