How many health inspections has COWBOY TACO had?

COWBOY TACO has had 17 inspections according to Florida DBPR records.

Has COWBOY TACO ever been shut down?

No, COWBOY TACO has no emergency closures on record.

What are the most common violations at COWBOY TACO?

The most frequently cited violations at COWBOY TACO are: Food contact surfaces, Chemical properly stored, Employee health policy.

What does Florida violation V13 (Parasite destruction) mean?

PARASITE SURVIVAL: Without proper freezing or cooking, parasites in fish (Anisakis, tapeworm), pork (Trichinella), and wild game survive to infect consumers. Anisakis larvae in raw sushi cause severe abdominal pain and allergic reactions. Tapeworm cysts in undercooked pork/beef grow into 15-30 foot worms in intestines. Proper freezing (-4°F for 7 days) kills parasites. Fish intended for raw consumption (sushi, sashimi, ceviche, tartare) must be frozen to -4°F for 7 days, or -31°F for 15 hours before service. Exception: tuna species and aquacultured fish fed processed feed. Pork and wild game must reach minimum internal cooking temperature. Document all freezing records.

What does Florida violation V16 (Proper cooking temps) mean?

PATHOGEN SURVIVAL: Undercooking is a leading cause of foodborne illness. Salmonella in poultry survives below 165°F — causes 1.35 million US infections annually. E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef survives below 155°F — causes bloody diarrhea and kidney failure. Trichinella in pork survives below 145°F. Proper cooking is the critical kill step that destroys these pathogens. Cook to minimum internal temperatures: Poultry/stuffing/reheated foods: 165°F for 15 seconds. Ground meats: 155°F for 15 seconds. Pork/beef/fish/eggs (immediate service): 145°F for 15 seconds. Whole roasts: 145°F for 4 minutes. Verify with calibrated probe thermometer in thickest part. Microwave cooking: 165°F, rotate, stand 2 minutes.

What does Florida violation V31 (Clean multi-use utensils) mean?

BACTERIAL BIOFILM: Improperly cleaned multi-use utensils develop bacterial biofilms within 24 hours. These biofilms protect pathogens (Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli) from routine sanitizing — requiring physical scrubbing to remove. Each use of a contaminated utensil transfers pathogens to food. Improperly cleaned cutting boards harbor 200x more bacteria than a toilet seat. Clean and sanitize all multi-use utensils using the 3-compartment sink method: Wash in hot soapy water (110°F minimum), rinse in clean water, sanitize in approved solution (50-100 ppm chlorine or 200-400 ppm quaternary ammonium for 30 seconds), air dry. Or use properly functioning commercial dishwasher. Clean utensils at least every 4 hours during continuous use.

COWBOY TACO

150 PLAZA AVE, Lake Placid, FL 33852

Highlands County · Permanent Food Service · Owner: COWBOY TACO LLC · License: SEA3801115

COWBOY TACO in Lake Placid, FL has 17 inspections on record with 136 total violations (8 per inspection) and 0 emergency closures.

17Inspections

136Violations

0Closures

Data current as of March 5, 2025

Inspection History (17)

Mar 5, 2025 — Routine - Food· 6 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

Jul 2, 2024 — Routine - Food· 3 violations (2 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V08 Proper hand/arm washing

Intermediate Violations

V41 Toilet facilities

Feb 14, 2024 — Routine - Food· 7 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V10 Approved food source

V11 Food in good condition

V12 Shell stock requirements

V14 Food contact surfaces

V24 Toxic substance control

Intermediate Violations

V31 Clean multi-use utensils

V36 Proper ventilation

Dec 12, 2023 — Food-Licensing Inspection· 3 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

Intermediate Violations

V29 Proper sewage disposal

V35 Single-use items

Jul 18, 2022 — Routine - Food· 8 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V10 Approved food source

V14 Food contact surfaces

V23 Chemical properly stored

Intermediate Violations

V29 Proper sewage disposal

V36 Proper ventilation

Apr 21, 2022 — Routine - Food· 10 violations (2 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V12 Shell stock requirements

V13 Parasite destruction

V14 Food contact surfaces

Intermediate Violations

V33 Proper cooling equipment

V36 Proper ventilation

Basic Violations

V50 Adequate lighting

Jan 6, 2022 — Routine - Food· 10 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V13 Parasite destruction

V14 Food contact surfaces

Intermediate Violations

V31 Clean multi-use utensils

V36 Proper ventilation

V40 Wiping cloths usage

Basic Violations

V50 Adequate lighting

Oct 5, 2020 — Routine - Food· 11 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V06 Handwashing facilities

V14 Food contact surfaces

V23 Chemical properly stored

V24 Toxic substance control

Intermediate Violations

V33 Proper cooling equipment

V35 Single-use items

V36 Proper ventilation

V40 Wiping cloths usage

Aug 12, 2020 — Food-Licensing Inspection· 13 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V14 Food contact surfaces

Intermediate Violations

V33 Proper cooling equipment

V35 Single-use items

V36 Proper ventilation

V41 Toilet facilities

Feb 25, 2020 — Routine - Food· 12 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V08 Proper hand/arm washing

V14 Food contact surfaces

V22 Consumer advisory

V23 Chemical properly stored

V24 Toxic substance control

Intermediate Violations

V35 Single-use items

V36 Proper ventilation

Oct 2, 2019 — Routine - Food· 22 violations (4 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V01 Management awareness

V03 Employee health reporting

V08 Proper hand/arm washing

V14 Food contact surfaces

V21 Time as control

V22 Consumer advisory

V23 Chemical properly stored

V25 Allergen awareness

Intermediate Violations

V33 Proper cooling equipment

V36 Proper ventilation

Basic Violations

V52 Personal cleanliness

Aug 22, 2018 — Food-Licensing Inspection· 6 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V08 Proper hand/arm washing

V10 Approved food source

V23 Chemical properly stored

V27 Correct procedures

Nov 17, 2017 — Routine - Food· 5 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V14 Food contact surfaces

V23 Chemical properly stored

V25 Allergen awareness

Intermediate Violations

V31 Clean multi-use utensils

Jul 14, 2017 — Routine - Food· 4 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V10 Approved food source

V14 Food contact surfaces

V23 Chemical properly stored

Intermediate Violations

V31 Clean multi-use utensils

Apr 25, 2017 — Routine - Food· 3 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V03 Employee health reporting

V23 Chemical properly stored

Intermediate Violations

V31 Clean multi-use utensils

Nov 15, 2016 — Routine - Food· 5 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V03 Employee health reporting

V14 Food contact surfaces

V23 Chemical properly stored

V25 Allergen awareness

Intermediate Violations

V29 Proper sewage disposal

Aug 2, 2016 — Routine - Food· 8 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action

High Priority Violations

V02 Employee health policy

V10 Approved food source

V14 Food contact surfaces

V23 Chemical properly stored

Intermediate Violations

V31 Clean multi-use utensils

How Does This Facility Compare?

COWBOY TACO has had 0 emergency closures, compared to the Highlands County average of 0.18 closures per facility. It has averaged 8 violations per inspection vs. the county average of 3.95.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many health inspections has COWBOY TACO had?: COWBOY TACO has had 17 inspections according to Florida DBPR records.
Has COWBOY TACO ever been shut down?: No, COWBOY TACO has no emergency closures on record.
What are the most common violations at COWBOY TACO?: The most frequently cited violations at COWBOY TACO are: Food contact surfaces, Chemical properly stored, Employee health policy.

Nearby Establishments

BEEFOBRADYS

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DUNKIN

195 US HWY 27, Lake Placid

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TACO BELL 200

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WENDY'S 9888

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Last inspected: Feb 24, 2025

Editorial Standards & Data Oversight

Data Source: This report is based on official public inspection records from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

Editorial Process: Content generated using AI to synthesize complex regulatory data, then reviewed and verified for accuracy by our editorial team.

Professional Review: All content undergoes standards and compliance oversight by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., Nationally Registered EMT & BU-trained Paralegal, using professional regulatory data auditing protocols.

Last verified: March 5, 2025 | Our methodology | Editorial standards | Report an error

This page is maintained by FloridaFoodSafety.org and is not affiliated with COWBOY TACO.