JACKSONVILLE, FL. Back in February 2026, a state inspector visiting Lim Seafood, a flea market kiosk in Jacksonville, found raw seafood sitting on open display without any protection from contamination.
The inspector's notes were direct: "Raw seafood displayed without protection." Staff covered the display with plastic during the inspection, but the problem had existed before the inspector arrived.
That single finding was one of seven violations documented during the February 6 inspection, including one priority violation, one repeat citation, and three priority foundation violations that point to gaps in how the kiosk is managed day to day.
What Inspectors Found
Beyond the uncovered seafood, the inspector found that the person in charge could not answer questions related to preventing foodborne illness. The inspector's notation was brief and pointed: "Person in charge unable to answer questions related to foodborne illnesses."
Employees at the kiosk had not been informed of their illness reporting responsibilities in a verifiable manner. State inspectors also noted that the establishment lacked written procedures for handling vomiting and diarrheal events, a document required of food retailers.
The physical space had problems too. The inspector observed residue buildup on the nonfood contact surfaces of reach-in freezers and the bulk ice machine. Debris had collected on the flooring under equipment.
The kiosk also lacked a certified food protection manager, a requirement that had been flagged before.
What These Violations Mean
Raw seafood on open display is a direct contamination risk for anyone shopping nearby. Without packaging or a protective barrier, fish and shellfish can shed bacteria onto adjacent products, surfaces, and even the hands of customers who handle them. At a flea market kiosk where shoppers may be reaching across a shared display, that risk extends beyond the seafood itself.
The three priority foundation violations, covering illness reporting, food safety knowledge, and emergency cleanup procedures, point to a management gap rather than an isolated incident. When a person in charge cannot answer basic questions about foodborne illness prevention, it signals that the oversight layer meant to catch problems before they reach customers is not functioning. Illness reporting requirements exist so that a sick employee does not handle food and transmit a pathogen directly to shoppers. The absence of that system is not a paperwork problem.
The missing vomiting and diarrheal event procedures are similarly practical. Norovirus, one of the most common causes of foodborne illness, spreads aggressively through contaminated surfaces. A written cleanup protocol is required precisely because impromptu responses often fail to contain contamination. The inspector provided the guidance document during the visit, but the kiosk had operated without one.
The repeat citation for lacking a certified food protection manager compounds all of the above. A certified manager is the mechanism through which a facility is expected to know and enforce the rules that the other violations show were not being followed.
The Longer Record
The February 2026 inspection was not the first time state inspectors flagged problems at this location. Records show a prior FDACS inspection on June 3, 2022, which documented five violations, including a citation for operating without a valid food permit.
That 2022 inspection and the 2026 inspection are the only two records on file for this location. The gap between them is nearly four years, but the pattern that emerges is not reassuring. The lack of a certified food protection manager was already a cited problem in the earlier record and remained unresolved when inspectors returned in February.
A facility with only two inspections on record and a repeat violation on the second one has not demonstrated improvement in the category most directly tied to overall compliance. The 2022 permit violation suggests the kiosk was at one point operating outside the basic licensing framework. The 2026 visit found seven violations, including management knowledge gaps that inspectors had to address on the spot by handing over guidance documents.
What Remained Unresolved
Of the seven violations cited on February 6, only two were addressed during the inspection itself. Staff covered the raw seafood display with plastic after the inspector flagged it. The inspector provided the vomiting and diarrheal event guidance document on site.
The remaining five violations, including the repeat citation for no certified food protection manager, the employees not informed of illness reporting responsibilities, the person in charge unable to answer food safety questions, the residue buildup on freezers and the ice machine, and the debris on the floor under equipment, were not corrected before the inspector left.
The kiosk met sanitation inspection requirements overall, meaning it was not ordered to close. But the certified food protection manager citation had already appeared in the 2022 record, and it was still there in February 2026.