HOLLYWOOD, FL. Inspectors visiting PupusaTime at 1114 N State Road 7 on June 23, 2026, found that the restaurant was sourcing food from unapproved or unknown suppliers, a violation that means inspectors cannot trace what entered the kitchen, where it came from, or whether it passed any federal safety screening.
That was one of seven high-severity violations documented during the inspection. The restaurant was not closed.
What Inspectors Found
The unapproved food sourcing violation sat alongside a citation for food not cooked to required minimum temperatures. Undercooked food is a leading cause of foodborne illness, and salmonella in poultry survives below 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Inspectors also cited the restaurant for food in poor condition, mislabeled, or adulterated. That category covers spoiled product, contaminated ingredients, and food that has been altered in ways that obscure what it actually is.
The shellfish citation added another layer of concern. Inspectors documented inadequate shell stock identification and records, meaning the restaurant could not demonstrate where its shellfish came from or that it had been harvested from an approved, tested source. Shellfish are among the highest-risk foods in any kitchen because they are often eaten raw or only lightly cooked.
Employees were cited for improper hand and arm washing technique, a violation that means pathogens can remain on hands even after a handwashing attempt. A separate citation noted that employees were not reporting symptoms of illness to management.
Food contact surfaces, the cutting boards, prep tables, and equipment that touch ingredients directly, were found improperly cleaned and sanitized. That category is a primary transfer route for bacteria moving from one food to another.
The two intermediate violations documented problems with sewage and wastewater disposal and inadequate or improperly maintained toilet facilities. Both relate to the same risk: fecal contamination moving through a facility where food is being prepared and served.
What These Violations Mean
The combination of unapproved food sourcing and undercooked food is particularly serious. Food from unknown suppliers has not been inspected by the USDA or FDA, meaning it could harbor Listeria, Salmonella, or other pathogens at levels that would have triggered rejection at a licensed facility. If that food is then cooked below the required minimum temperature, the last line of defense against those pathogens is gone.
The illness reporting violation compounds every other risk on the list. Norovirus and other highly contagious illnesses spread from food workers to customers through direct food contact. A kitchen where employees are not required to disclose symptoms is a kitchen where an infected employee can work a full shift, touching food, equipment, and surfaces throughout.
Improper handwashing technique is not the same as no handwashing. It means employees went through the motions but did not wash long enough, thoroughly enough, or with enough friction to remove pathogens. Combined with improperly sanitized food contact surfaces, the kitchen at PupusaTime had multiple overlapping failure points for bacterial transfer on the day inspectors arrived.
The sewage and toilet facility violations are not minor infrastructure complaints. Raw sewage contains E. coli and other fecal pathogens. Inadequate toilet facilities reduce the likelihood that employees use them consistently, which feeds directly back into the handwashing failures already documented.
The Longer Record
PupusaTime has two inspections on record. The first, conducted on February 12, 2026, found zero high-severity violations and two intermediate citations. The restaurant had never been emergency-closed.
The June 23 inspection represents a significant departure from that baseline. The facility went from two intermediate violations in February to seven high-severity citations four months later. That is not a gradual accumulation of minor issues. It is a sharp increase in the most serious category of food safety failures.
With only two inspections on record, there is no multi-year pattern to examine. What the record does show is a facility that passed its first inspection without major findings and then produced one of the more serious single-inspection violation counts in Broward County: seven high-priority citations in one visit, touching food sourcing, cooking temperatures, employee illness protocols, surface sanitation, and shellfish traceability simultaneously.
The restaurant has never been closed by state inspectors. It was not closed after the June 23 inspection either.
Open for Business
Florida's emergency closure authority is triggered when inspectors determine that conditions pose an immediate threat to public health. The state's records show that on June 23, 2026, inspectors documented seven conditions at PupusaTime that each carry a high-severity designation, including food from unknown sources, undercooking, and employees not reporting illness.
The restaurant remained open.
