Insect larvae in the pasta at Gristede’s. Mouse poop near the deli at Whole Foods. Lukewarm shrimp in a bag at Food Emporium.
Welcome to your friendly local supermarket!
The New York World, a Columbia Journalism School website, has gathered data about supermarket inspections from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and presented it in easy-to-read and (gulp) digest format. While this data is public, it is not as readily available as restaurant health inspections, which are conducted by the city and available to see here. We last presented supermarket data here.
The chart we’ve pasted below allows you to browse every supermarket in the neighborhood, and willfully gross yourself out. Among local markets, Whole Foods on 97th street and Columbus had the most violations in the 10025 zip code, Gristede’s on 86th took the cake in 10024, and Fairway posted the most violations in 10023.
Whole Foods actually had the third most violations of any chain supermarket in the city, according to New York World, with violations that included the mouse droppings near the deli , food held at improper temperatures, and “Cold cut power slicers in the deli food preparation area has buildup of old, dried food residues on food contact surfaces.”
Fairway, as loyal readers know, has had quite a rodent infestation in the past, and in a 2012 inspection rat and mouse droppings were found around the produce and the butter case. Fairway management has stated confidently that its critters are gone. But we may have to wait for the next inspection to know for sure.
The violations can be very costly for supermarkets: Gristedes actually had to destroy a whopping 672.5 pounds of food this year because they were stored at the wrong temperature.
Here’s some good news, however: city markets appear to be getting cleaner overall. Violations have apparently decreased 11% since 2000.
Check out the map below, and let us know if you find anything particularly interesting. If you’re having trouble with the map, click here for the New York World’s version.
Image via Whole Foods.
What about Trader Joes?
Trader Joe’s peppy workforce isn’t just throwing smiles: they also keep one of the cleanest grocery store chains in New York City, with only one critical deficiency reported, at its Sixth Ave. location, since 2008.
From the NYW link, so I’m hopeful the UWS one on 72nd is good too.
Fairway currently has weevils in its organic cereals. I filed a complaint with 311.
I hope TJ’s performs better,they don’t have the deli and prepared food sections like most of the other stores do. TJ’s prepared foods are generally sealed when they get to the store, not made on site. The breadth of their produce section, an area that can be problematic for food stores, is not comparable to Fairway, Whole Foods or even stores like Barzinis.
24/7 West Side Market on 110th had only one violation, warm rice used for sushi, presumably now fixed. The other two on 76th and 97th aren’t listed.
what about the bodegas – Barzinis for example is a sesspool. just saying….
Do we know anything about Jubilee Market in the Trump Place complex? Also curious about Gourmet Garage. Any reports on either of them?
Gracefully and Jubilee? It would be interesting to find out, considering that a whole area is heaving with rats since the construction nearby is on.