Gaetz Fresh Market

Multiple produce and bakery products, including bagged salad mixes and lettuce, snap peas, and citrus (including oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes), were observed to be unwholesome, past their best before dates, and showed signs of rot and/or mold. All affected products were discarded by the operator., , Please ensure all perishable products are properly and regularly monitored to ensure no spoiled food products, including produce, bakery, and meat products, are present. Any spoiled products must be discarded promptly to ensure all store shelves contain only wholesome food products in good condition for sale.

The facility had a new hot holding pizza case installed on a shelf next to the front till., , The pizza was initially measured at 51°C (operator stated it had been cooked less than 2 hours prior, at approximately 12:30 PM). The operator adjusted the temperature gauge higher and identified openings at the back of the unit that were affecting insulation, which were then closed., , After the corrections, the hot holding unit was able to achieve storage temperatures of the pizza above 62°C, and the facility had an IR thermometer available to monitor the pizza. If the hot holder is unable to maintain safe storage temperatures above 60°C, all pizza being stored shall be discarded or consumed within 2 hours., , Please ensure the hot holding unit is effectively maintaining pizza at temperatures above 60°C, as holding pizza between 4°C and 60°C for more than 2 hours can allow harmful bacteria to grow and make the pizza unsafe for consumption.

The handwashing sink in the bakery was lacking a paper towel dispenser or paper towel holder to ensure the paper towels are stored in a safe and sanitary manner, preventing contamination or the paper towel rolls from falling on the floor during use., , Please ensure a suitable wall-mounted paper towel dispenser, or a securely stored countertop paper towel dispenser stored where it cannot be contaminated, is acquired and used.

The facility did not have test strips available for verifying the chlorine sanitizer solutions., , Please ensure chlorine test strips capable of confirming sanitizer concentrations within the range of 100–200 ppm are acquired and used regularly to confirm all sanitizer solutions prepared (including dishwashing sanitizer and spray or clean-in-place buckets) are within the effective range.

The care and control operator does not currently have a food safety certificate., , The operator reported they are enrolling in a course and will complete it soon., ---, Food Safety Course Certificates Approved in Alberta, , https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/health-recognized-food-safety-courses-alberta.pdf

Multiple freezers had significant accumulation of frost buildup., , Please ensure all freezers are temporarily emptied (storing products in another freezer), defrosted and cleaned to ensure no signs of frost buildup are present. , , Regular defrosting schedules should be added to routine cleaning and maintenance schedules to prevent the accumulation of frost buildup.

The operator did not provide an update regarding the new pizza hot holding unit prior to use., , Please ensure any major upgrades or new food processing equipment are reported to EPH prior to use, so they can be evaluated to ensure they are operating effectively and that safe operation can be maintained before being introduced into day to day operations.