Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.
Food held, cooled, cooked, or reheated outside safe temperatures, letting dangerous bacteria multiply.
A sick or symptomatic employee present, or staff unaware of when illness bars them from working with food.
Dish machine or sinks not set up or working properly, or missing sanitizer test kit and gauges.
Missing or expired food manager certification, or employee food-safety training not documented.
Scoops and other in-use utensils stored improperly (e.g. handle down in the food).
Missing hair or beard restraint, dirty work clothes, jewelry, or painted/artificial fingernails during food prep.
Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.
Dirty wiping cloths not stored in sanitizer, or soiled linens handled improperly.
Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.
Single-use items (cups, straws, to-go containers) stored or handled improperly.
Plumbing not installed or maintained properly — leaks, mop sink issues, unserviced water filters, or missing backflow prevention.