FORT MYERS, FL. Inspectors visiting China Xpress on Altamont Avenue in May found that the restaurant had not followed parasite destruction procedures for fish, meaning customers could have been served seafood containing live parasites including Anisakis or tapeworm. The restaurant was not closed.
That single violation was one of nine high-severity citations issued during the May 15 inspection at the Altamont Avenue Suite 102 location, a total that also included improperly stored toxic chemicals near food, food in poor condition or adulterated, and employees not reporting symptoms of illness. Six intermediate violations were added on top of that.
The restaurant remained open after the inspection.
What Inspectors Found
The parasite destruction citation is among the most direct food safety failures an inspector can document. Fish served raw or undercooked, including sushi and ceviche-style preparations, must be frozen to specific temperatures for specific durations to kill parasites. Without that step, live organisms can survive into the finished dish.
Toxic chemicals stored near or above food represent a different category of risk entirely. Mislabeled or improperly positioned cleaning agents can contaminate food directly, and the resulting poisoning does not require bacterial growth or time, it can happen immediately.
Employees not reporting illness symptoms was also cited. Food workers who come in sick and do not disclose symptoms are the primary driver of multi-victim norovirus and hepatitis A outbreaks in restaurant settings. There is no way for a customer to know.
The inspector also cited inadequate shell stock identification records. Shellfish, including oysters and clams, require tags that trace them back to their harvest bed. Without those records, there is no way to identify the source if a customer becomes ill.
What These Violations Mean
The combination of parasite destruction failures and shellfish traceability gaps at China Xpress on Altamont Avenue represents a specific threat to anyone who ordered seafood there. Parasites killed by proper freezing leave no visible trace in food. When the freezing step is skipped or done incorrectly, neither the cook nor the customer can detect the problem.
Food contact surfaces not properly cleaned and sanitized compounds every other violation on the list. Cutting boards, prep surfaces, and utensils that carry residual bacteria from one food item to the next can spread contamination even when the original food was safe.
The illness reporting violation is worth understanding in plain terms. A single food worker with norovirus who handles ready-to-eat food can infect dozens of customers over a single shift. The violation does not mean an employee was confirmed sick. It means the system that would catch that situation was not functioning.
Improperly stored toxic chemicals near food is a violation that can cause acute harm with no warning. Cleaning products stored above or adjacent to food prep areas can drip, spill, or be mistaken for food-safe liquids. The outcome is chemical poisoning, not foodborne illness, and it can require emergency care.
The Longer Record
The May 2026 inspection was not an anomaly. China Xpress has 38 inspections on record and 475 total violations across that history. The nine high-severity violations logged in May match the eight documented in November 2023 and the eight from March 2023, and they exceed the five found in both November 2024 and March 2024.
The pattern across the most recent years is consistent. High-severity violations appeared in every inspection on record going back through 2023, with counts ranging from three to nine. The restaurant has never produced a clean inspection in that span, with the exception of a same-day re-inspection on July 7, 2025 that followed a six-high-violation visit earlier that morning.
China Xpress was emergency-closed once before, on June 29, 2020, after inspectors documented roach activity. It was allowed to reopen two days later, on July 1, 2020.
The 475 violations across 38 inspections average out to more than 12 per visit. The May 2026 inspection, with 15 total violations across high and intermediate categories, is above that average.
Open for Business
State inspectors documented nine high-severity violations at China Xpress on May 15, 2026, including failures in parasite destruction, toxic chemical storage, illness reporting, shellfish traceability, food condition, handwashing technique, food contact surface sanitation, and managerial oversight.
Six intermediate violations, covering sewage disposal, utensil cleaning, sanitizer procedures, ventilation, wiping cloths, and toilet facilities, were added to the record the same day.
China Xpress on Altamont Avenue was not closed after the inspection.