MEDLEY, Fla. — Inspectors found rotting rodents crawling with maggots inside a wholesale food supplier that caters to restaurants across South Florida.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services conducted a food safety inspection Wednesday at Restaurant Depot, 8850 NW 77th Ct. in Medley.
What they found inside was alarming and earned the facility 11 violations and a required re-inspection.
According to the state report, inspectors discovered an active rodent infestation inside the warehouse. Along a wall leading into the dry storage area, they found two dead, decaying rodents covered in maggots and another dead rodent stuck in a bait station.
Nearby, a pallet of batteries was contaminated with rodent droppings, and inspectors found bags of pistachios that had been chewed open, along with droppings scattered among corn husks. The shelf liner in that section was made of cardboard stained with what appeared to be rodent urine.
In the seafood area, the violations continued. The ice chute was coated in mold, and the temperature monitoring device for pasteurized crab meat had not been calibrated to ensure it was reading accurately.
Inspectors also faulted management, saying they had “not demonstrated they are qualified to perform their assigned duties,” pointing to the rodent infestation, a repeat violation from October 2022 and inadequate temperature monitoring for refrigeration units.
Due to contamination, the state issued stop-sale orders on:
Twenty 3-pound bags of pistachios
Sixty packages of corn husks
Pasteurized crab meat
Assistant manager Richardo Gutierrez was present for the inspection and signed the report.
Restaurant Depot operates several locations across South Florida and serves as a members-only wholesale supplier to restaurants, caterers, and foodservice businesses.
Membership is free for verified business operators and allows bulk purchases of food and kitchen supplies.
Given its role supplying ingredients to many local restaurants, the findings inside the Medley facility raise serious questions about sanitation and oversight.
A re-inspection has been ordered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Read Wednesday’s full inspection report in the document below.
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