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.
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).
Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.
Shelves, counters, handles, or equipment exteriors soiled with grease, debris, or dust.