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Florida Violation V15: Food separated/protected
Violation V15 (Food separated/protected) is a High Priority food safety violation in the Food Handling category with 0 citations in the past 12 months. STORAGE CONTAMINATION: Improper food storage and separation allows cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods.
Summary generated from Florida DBPR public inspection records and CDC food safety data.
Florida DBPR violation V15 (Food separated/protected) is a high priority food safety violation classified under Food Handling.
Reference: 61C-4.010(5), FDA Food Code 3-302
What the Code Says
V15 — Food separated/protected
Improper food storage, separation, or protection
— Florida Administrative Code 61C-4, FDA Food Code
Why This Matters
STORAGE CONTAMINATION: Improper food storage and separation allows cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods. Raw meat dripping onto produce causes Salmonella and E. coli outbreaks. Uncovered food in walk-ins collects condensation carrying Listeria. Storing food on floor exposes it to splash, pest contamination, and cleaning chemicals.
CDC Risk Factor Classification: Contaminated Equipment/Protection - CDC Risk Factor #4
The CDC identifies five major contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks: food from unsafe sources, inadequate cooking, improper holding temperatures, contaminated equipment, and poor personal hygiene. Source: CDC Contributing Factors
Code Requirements
Store food properly: raw meat/poultry BELOW ready-to-eat foods (in order: cooked food, raw fish, raw whole meat, raw ground meat, raw poultry — top to bottom). Cover all food. Store food minimum 6 inches off floor. Label and date-mark all items. Use FIFO (first in, first out) rotation. Separate by allergen type.
References
- Florida DBPR Division of Hotels & Restaurants
- FDA Food Code (Current Edition)
- CDC Food Safety
- CDC: Contributing Factors to Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
- Florida Administrative Code Chapter 61C-4
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Florida food safety violation V15?
- Florida DBPR violation V15 (Food separated/protected) is a High Priority violation in the Food Handling category. Improper food storage, separation, or protection
- Why is violation V15 (Food separated/protected) dangerous?
- STORAGE CONTAMINATION: Improper food storage and separation allows cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods. Raw meat dripping onto produce causes Salmonella and E. coli outbreaks. Uncovered food in walk-ins collects condensation carrying Listeria. Storing food on floor exposes it to splash, pest contamination, and cleaning chemicals.
- What are the requirements to correct violation V15?
- Store food properly: raw meat/poultry BELOW ready-to-eat foods (in order: cooked food, raw fish, raw whole meat, raw ground meat, raw poultry — top to bottom). Cover all food. Store food minimum 6 inches off floor. Label and date-mark all items. Use FIFO (first in, first out) rotation. Separate by allergen type.
- What CDC risk factor does violation V15 fall under?
- Violation V15 (Food separated/protected) is classified under: Contaminated Equipment/Protection - CDC Risk Factor #4. The CDC identifies five major risk factors contributing to foodborne illness outbreaks in food service establishments.
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Editorial Standards & Data Oversight
Data Source: This reference is based on official public inspection records from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the FDA Food Code.
Editorial Process: Content generated using AI to synthesize complex regulatory data and CDC food safety research, then reviewed and verified for accuracy by our editorial team.
Disclaimer: Violation descriptions reflect Florida Administrative Code Chapter 61C-4 and the FDA Food Code current at time of publication. Health risk information sourced from CDC, FDA, and peer-reviewed research.
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.