MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A southwest Miami-Dade-based food distributor that supplies bulk products across multiple states has been ordered to take corrective action after state inspectors documented extensive rodent activity, a mold-like substance and unsanitary conditions inside its facility.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services inspected Kotecha Brothers on Thursday and said conditions inside the warehouse posed a risk of foodborne illness.
Kotecha Brothers is a family-owned company founded in 2008 that operates as a major food distributor and produce wholesaler. The business handles and distributes bulk food products such as rice, lentils, tea, and packaged dessert mixes, and has expanded its operations to include distribution centers in Texas and Los Angeles. The facility, located at 17425 SW 172nd St. in the rural Redland area, serves as a key hub for storage and distribution.
During the inspection, regulators reported finding what they described as “too numerous to count” rodent droppings throughout the dry storage warehouse. Inspectors documented droppings scattered across the floor, including around and between pallets used to store food. Rodent droppings were also found in the narrow spaces between vertically stacked pallets holding multiple types of 10-pound bags of rice.
In some cases, droppings were observed directly on food products, including on individual bags of rice and on the exterior of boxes containing packaged dry dessert mixes such as basmati rice kheer, rasmalai, sweet pretzel mix, and green lentil fritter mix. Inspectors also found rodent droppings on the second floor of the warehouse in the area where cardboard boxes and other packaging materials used for food distribution are stored.
According to the report, employees began moving pallets and cleaning during the inspection and voluntarily discarded some of the affected food. Despite those efforts, the extent of the contamination led the state to take enforcement action. The Department of Agriculture issued a Stop Use Order covering the dry storage warehouse, including the second-floor packaging area, citing conditions that rendered food and materials adulterated and insanitary under Florida law. The order prohibits the movement, sale, or use of affected food and equipment until the facility is brought into compliance and cleared by inspectors.
Inspectors also found that the facility lacked adequate protections to prevent pest entry and harborage. There were visible gaps underneath roll-up doors leading into the warehouse, which could allow rodents and other pests to enter. The inspection noted accumulations of debris and waste materials on the floors and the presence of old equipment stored outside near the building, both of which can attract and harbor pests.
Pallets of food products were stored too close to walls, limiting the ability to properly clean and monitor those areas for pest activity. Inspectors concluded that effective measures were not being taken to keep pests out of food storage and handling areas.
In addition to the rodent activity, inspectors documented multiple unsanitary conditions inside the facility. A black, mold-like substance was observed on fan covers of refrigeration units inside walk-in coolers and on walls near cooler doors. There was standing and pooling water in several areas, including under pallets and along aisles inside the coolers.
Inspectors also found water accumulating and overflowing from a floor drain in an area where employees were manually sorting raw vegetables. Such conditions can contribute to bacterial growth and increase the risk of contamination.
The report also cited structural problems within the building. Inspectors observed large holes in the floors of both a walk-in cooler and the dry storage warehouse. These openings contained accumulations of debris and old food, creating areas that are difficult to clean and that can serve as harborage for pests. Food storage practices were also found to be inadequate, with bags of rice and boxes of coconut products stored directly on the floor in some areas. Some of these items were discarded during the inspection.
Additional violations included the facility’s failure to provide records showing that employees had been trained in food safety, hygiene, and health practices. Inspectors also noted missing handwashing signage in employee restrooms and deficiencies in the facility’s drainage systems.
The report further indicated that the business had not registered with the Food and Drug Administration as required for facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold food.
The Department of Agriculture has scheduled a follow-up inspection on or about May 12 to verify that the violations have been corrected. If the company fails to comply, it could face administrative fines or the suspension or revocation of its permit to operate.
The stop-use order will remain in effect until regulators determine that the affected areas and products no longer pose a risk to public health.
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