Rodents, Mold, and Expired Food: New York Store Ordered to Close by Inspectors

Race Day Live (New York City) – According to court documents filed on January 10, Barzini’s, the grocery shop at 2451 Broadway (between 90th and 91st streets), issued a summons to halt operations and close following a New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets inspection that discovered “severe insanitary conditions.”

The inspection revealed rat gnaw marks on sausages, bacon, cold cuts, cheeses, and smoked salmon in the retail, deli, and kitchen walk-in coolers. Here is the detailed inspection report.

• Grain insects had contaminated the shop area’s pasta.
• Mold-like residues on food surfaces and interiors indicated the decomposition of various sausages, cold cuts, and cheeses in the retail open-air coolers, deli open-air coolers, and kitchen walk-in coolers. Bloated packaging and an unpleasant odor were also present. This includes products with expiration dates ranging from 2018 to 2023 (for example, 51.5 pounds of Brie cheese).
• The shelves of the deli open-air cooler held various sausages, cheeses, and cold cuts, all of which had accumulated a layer of dark filth and mold-like residue. There was also food waste, flaking rust, and mouse droppings.
• A live brood of rats, consisting of one adult rat and six kits, was discovered in the kitchen walk-in cooler. Boxes of pre-packaged prosciutto positioned against the cooler’s rear wall also included nesting material made of cardboard and plastic bags.
• Two live rats were seen moving along overhead pipes in various spots directly over food preparation countertops in the kitchen.
• A fresh rat carcass was discovered behind the equipment wash sink in the deli.

• Between 500 and 750 fresh and old rat droppings were discovered in the following locations: retail area, culinary prep area, and storage room. The specific locations were behind boxes of potatoes in the retail section, on the floor of the kitchen walk-in cooler, and toward the front of the deli display cooler.
• Rat droppings were also found on the basement floor, among unused loose objects, and on and below pallets containing food supplies. Droppings were also seen beneath the equipment wash sink in the deli.
• Two dead cockroaches were discovered on cutting boards in the kitchen preparation area. A live cockroach and a live cockroach nymph were found on the basement storage wall.
• Five to ten complete cockroach egg shells were found on the wall beside the ice machine in the storage room. Five to ten live flies were found in the kitchen, with many landing on cutting boards, other food contact equipment, and worktops.

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