How do I report food safety violations (Foody Mart) to York Region or Markham Health?

[wilson_wu]

Anything wrong with these photos?

Almost EVERY time I go to Foody Mart, they always have things displayed like this. Do they not even know the basic rules in food safety? Last time, it was Maple Leaf bacon displayed on sale for $0.99, left out till they turned yellow.

This has been going on since the store opened. Why has the health department turned a blind eye to this location? If Loblaws or Walmart blatently did this, the health department would be on their asses.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-55.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-553.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-551.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-554.jpg

[ABert]

Looks like a hot deal. Maybe that's not really yoghurt?

[wilson_wu]

Last time I bought store-made bakery bread, insects were found inthe bag the next day.

Cousins bought bread, two kids consumed the bread and both fell ill.

Obviously, food safety issues at this store are systemic and the managers there are oblivious and lack training in food safety. :mad:

[ABert]

z

[fashionelle1]

CFIA: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml

# through the Internet at cfiamaster@inspection.gc.ca
# by telephone at 1-800-442-2342 / Ontario - 416-665-5049

[Mr.Sea]

Check the expiry date???

[AcidBomber]

Anything wrong with these photos?

Almost EVERY time I go to Foody Mart, they always have things displayed like this. Do they not even know the basic rules in food safety? Last time, it was Maple Leaf bacon displayed on sale for $0.99, left out till they turned yellow.

This has been going on since the store opened. Why has the health department turned a blind eye to this location? If Loblaws or Walmart blatently did this, the health department would be on their asses.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-55.jpg[/img]
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-553.jpg[/IMG]
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-551.jpg[/IMG]
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-554.jpg[/IMG]

do you mean that yogurt is left un-refrigerated?
they probably move the products pretty fast at those prices... besides, i assume the store is at least room temperature. so it should be fine.

if you're worried, dont purchase it.

[Hairball]

It is concerning how they always just leave stuff like that out there. Hopefully they get properly inspected soon. I guess that's what you get for dirt cheap prices.

[redgrandam]

1) that yogurt has been on sale EVERYWHERE lately..

2) When I worked at Loblaws there was a time limit refridgerated products were allowed to be out before they were discarded (30 mins i think...), I don't know if that was a law or store policy

3) I would NEVER purchase a thing from that store again..

4) I would be asking for a manager while I was there. I doubt that their freezers are even operating at the correct temperature if they don't care about items getting warm..

was the yogurt down to room temperature to the touch?

[creature]

Anything wrong with these photos?

Almost EVERY time I go to Foody Mart, they always have things displayed like this. Do they not even know the basic rules in food safety? Last time, it was Maple Leaf bacon displayed on sale for $0.99, left out till they turned yellow.

This has been going on since the store opened. Why has the health department turned a blind eye to this location? If Loblaws or Walmart blatently did this, the health department would be on their asses.



Call York Region Health Department and supply them with the photos. All hazardous foods (including yogourt) are required to be held at either 4C or colder or 60C or hotter. Yogourt obviously needs to be refrigerated. This is a clear infraction of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation.

[Ojam]

Yogurt was developed as a way to preserve milk when refrigeration was unavailable. It can safely stay unrefrigerated for hours, even a day.

[creature]

Yogurt was developed as a way to preserve milk when refrigeration was unavailable. It can safely stay unrefrigerated for hours, even a day.

I beg to differ. As an inspector, if this was my store, all of those containers of yogourt would be discarded and the store would be charged.

[redgrandam]

Yogurt was developed as a way to preserve milk when refrigeration was unavailable. It can safely stay unrefrigerated for hours, even a day.

That's not the point. Even if it's fine for a day, some might be out for more than a day, maybe they top up the pile, the stuff at the bottom could be out for MANY days.

Either way it's clearly not in the best interest of food safety.

[wilson_wu]

was the yogurt down to room temperature to the touch?

yes


Yogurt was developed as a way to preserve milk when refrigeration was unavailable. It can safely stay unrefrigerated for hours, even a day.
as i mentioned above, this wasn't a one time thing and it isn't only yogurt that is left out. everytime i go to this store, whenever they put something on sale that should be refridgerated, they just leave the item in the open. last time, it was bacon strips in a bag that had turned yellow by the time i saw it.

[Candiana]

just to confirm, this is hwy7/mccowan one right? there r a lot more than yogurt that's left out to rot.

[wilson_wu]

just to confirm, this is hwy7/mccowan one right? there r a lot more than yogurt that's left out to rot.

Yep.

[BornRuff]

Gotta ask, why on earth do you shop there so often if you know how unsafe the food is? It's not like it's the only grocery store in the area.

[wilson_wu]

Gotta ask, why on earth do you shop there so often if you know how unsafe the food is? It's not like it's the only grocery store in the area.

After 10-11, it's the only store open. And when I do go, it's for junk food that's usually dry.

The walmart across the street closes at 10. So does the nearby Loblaws I think.

[Hairball]

After 10-11, it's the only store open. And when I do go, it's for junk food that's usually dry.

The walmart across the street closes at 10. So does the nearby Loblaws I think.

Sobeys is in the area and is open 24 hours, so that's another option.

As for reporting them, I think you can go to the York Region Health Connection
http://www.york.ca/Departments/Health+Services/Health+Connection.htm

1 800 361-5653

[AudiDude]

I'm sorry but when I see a place like Foody Mart or smaller, I assume the place is a $hithole to begin with. I work in Markham/Richmond Hill and have had the opportunity to visit many peoples homes (who undoubtedly shop at places like Foody Mart or worse) and they do not treat the food properly when they get it home. Restaurants are equally as bad if not worse.

Many times, if I feel the need, I cut through the kitchens of the restaurants/Grocery Stores and see the preparing/storing of food improperly by people who when they see me (and it's real obvious I don't belong there) hide their faces or don't stare or say anything (because I think they don't belong there either IF you know what I mean).

Endangered fish are being sold, which is illegal. Even in corner stores, the temperature in the fridges are high. The chocolate bars are melted (and they are all expired which is why they are two for $1.00).

The funny thing is when I come to RFD and everybody warns each other "Don't eat at Yang's Sushi" etc. The majority of them are dumps with nice lighting and plants and waterfalls and well dressed rude people who are in the back laughing at you serving low quality food with their unclean hands and illegal food prep/storage.

I've watched an old lady drink miso soup from a ladle in the and return it to the big cooking pot at a kitchen in a sushi place. The walls were yellow with gooey crap, the front looked nice though.

I guess I just assumed that if you ate or shopped at any of these places you were willing to accept the fact that it was a craphole and were OK with that. If I snuck in a camera, a lot of people would be in deep $hit, but then again, I had assumed that people know, so I don't want to rain on their parade.

[vaportech]

After 10-11, it's the only store open. And when I do go, it's for junk food that's usually dry.

The walmart across the street closes at 10. So does the nearby Loblaws I think.

Yea Sobey's is 24hrs its between 16th and Major Mac on McCowan RD.

Always go there for my late night snack ;).

Or movie night in.

[The Radio Dept.]

I see Price Choppers do this sometimes with their Yogurt when they don't have space. Location is Dundas St W. and Bloor across from the Shoppers Drug Mart.

[dragon_drift]

I've heard of this place from my mom. Apparently their customer service is very rude and they had numerous complaints.

[googoo]

Endangered fish are being sold

Please PLEASE report this!

Brent

[chickibum]

CFIA: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml

# through the Internet at cfiamaster@inspection.gc.ca
# by telephone at 1-800-442-2342 / Ontario - 416-665-5049

This is who I called after a Tim Hortons served me rotten tomato in my sandwich, they get on it pretty quick, I'd give them a call

[Keigotw]

Foody is trying to copy T&T Supermarkets
in hopes they will get bought out one day LOL :lol:

[kingkao]

I like Foody. Their stuff is cheaper than T&T and the place is a lot cleaner than Oriental.
I see that they put a crate of something that is on sale in the back non-refrigerated all the time. I really don't know why they do that. I've seen them do yogourt, orange juice, and I think hotdogs once or something. But yeah, its usually something really cheap. Usually you can find the same item refrigerated somewhere though. But that just begs the question, was it thawed out, then put in the refrigeration. *sigh

[The Radio Dept.]

I like Foody. Their stuff is cheaper than T&T and the place is a lot cleaner than Oriental.
I see that they put a crate of something that is on sale in the back non-refrigerated all the time. I really don't know why they do that. I've seen them do yogourt, orange juice, and I think hotdogs once or something. But yeah, its usually something really cheap. Usually you can find the same item refrigerated somewhere though. But that just begs the question, was it thawed out, then put in the refrigeration. *sigh

Even some No Frills will have stuff sitting out. On more than one occasion I've seen their refrigeration break and they're clearing the "frozen" (more liked thawed) things out to fix it but if you run your hands through, it's like the sahara dessert which means it's been sitting without refrigeration for awhile.

[blahraptors]

Not surprising... Asian supermarkets and restaurants don't seem to care much about food safety and hygiene, although it has improved somewhat. I always feel like I'm taking a risk when I step into one of those places, but at the same time it's cheaper to shop/dine there!

Always check the expiry date. Even at Loblaws, I saw some orange juice that was expired for over a week, some that was expiring in a couple days, and some that was fresh. I went back the day after and the expired ones were gone, and the almost expired ones were being cleared out at 50% off.

[The Radio Dept.]

Not surprising... Asian supermarkets and restaurants don't seem to care much about food safety and hygiene, although it has improved somewhat. I always feel like I'm taking a risk when I step into one of those places, but at the same time it's cheaper to shop/dine there!

Always check the expiry date. Even at Loblaws, I saw some orange juice that was expired for over a week, some that was expiring in a couple days, and some that was fresh. I went back the day after and the expired ones were gone, and the almost expired ones were being cleared out at 50% off.

I've worked on both sides of the fence so I am as qualified as one can ever be to comment on this and with Asian businesses, they hire a general help person who will work a variety of jobs and it can get sloppy when it's busy which it is more often than not. When I worked for Dominions (Metro), you would only be dairy or grocery or what have you that's why they're generally more careful with expired products.

There is also a reason why Asian products are cheap, some are knock offs. I've even witnessed one coworker scrubbing the expiry date off of the packaging. Next time you go shopping there, look at the packaging for expiry date; some don't even exist.

[dx1997]

I've worked on both sides of the fence so I am as qualified as one can ever be to comment on this and with Asian businesses, they hire a general help person who will work a variety of jobs and it can get sloppy when it's busy which it is more often than not. When I worked for Dominions (Metro), you would only be dairy or grocery or what have you that's why they're generally more careful with expired products.

There is also a reason why Asian products are cheap, some are knock offs. I've even witnessed one coworker scrubbing the expiry date off of the packaging. Next time you go shopping there, look at the packaging for expiry date; some don't even exist.

That's messed up man.

[rdtx2002]

stop crying and don't go there again if you don't like what they are doing.

The masses enjoy the discounts.

[googoo]

stop crying and don't go there again if you don't like what they are doing.

The masses enjoy the discounts.

So I guess "turning a blind eye" is a good idea?? Until it kill somebody of course!

Brent

[jayisthebest88]

sometimes asian people are so ********...

[No Frills]

If that yogurt is out for a few hours its not a problem. If they dont sell it, its on a wooden pallet and they will just put it back in the fridge. More than 8 hours and it is a problem...especially for the ones on the outside exposed. Yogurt is also good 2 weeks after the best before....its already "bad".

There are some items because they are in Canada that you need to refrigerate. Babybel cheese doesnt need refrigeration, Laughing Cow cheese didnt need either when they were imported but when they built a plant in Canada they needed to be regrigerated.

[amz155]

CFIA: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml

# through the Internet at cfiamaster@inspection.gc.ca
# by telephone at 1-800-442-2342 / Ontario - 416-665-5049

No, don't call the CFIA as your concern is not something they oversee. Call the local health department. York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653. This infraction is covered under the Food Premises Regulation which is a provincial legislation, not federal.


do you mean that yogurt is left un-refrigerated?
they probably move the products pretty fast at those prices... besides, i assume the store is at least room temperature. so it should be fine.

if you're worried, dont purchase it.

No hazardous food should be displayed for sale while not being refrigerated (or held hot depending on the product). Doesn't matter how fast they "move" the yogurt, it still has to be refrigerated. Room temperature is about 20C and hazardous food such as yogurt has to be kept at 4C or less, so it is NOT fine to be stored as in the pic.


It is concerning how they always just leave stuff like that out there. Hopefully they get properly inspected soon. I guess that's what you get for dirt cheap prices.

Grocery store floors get inspected just once a year. So if the day the inspector goes there everything is fine, they won't know if something goes wrong the next day. And they won't be in there to conduct a routine inspection until one year later. Of course if there is a complaint we have to initiate in investigation within 24 hours (this is legislated).


Call York Region Health Department and supply them with the photos. All hazardous foods (including yogourt) are required to be held at either 4C or colder or 60C or hotter. Yogourt obviously needs to be refrigerated. This is a clear infraction of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation.

Exactly. Sounds like there might be another resident PHI here :lol:?


Yogurt was developed as a way to preserve milk when refrigeration was unavailable. It can safely stay unrefrigerated for hours, even a day.

Not so. The yogurt must be refrigerated. Once you get it home you can do whatever you want with it but when its for sale in a regulated premise they must obey the law.




Many times, if I feel the need, I cut through the kitchens of the restaurants/Grocery Stores and see the preparing/storing of food improperly by people who when they see me (and it's real obvious I don't belong there) hide their faces or don't stare or say anything (because I think they don't belong there either IF you know what I mean).

Endangered fish are being sold, which is illegal. Even in corner stores, the temperature in the fridges are high. The chocolate bars are melted (and they are all expired which is why they are two for $1.00).

I've watched an old lady drink miso soup from a ladle in the and return it to the big cooking pot at a kitchen in a sushi place. The walls were yellow with gooey crap, the front looked nice though.

I guess I just assumed that if you ate or shopped at any of these places you were willing to accept the fact that it was a craphole and were OK with that. If I snuck in a camera, a lot of people would be in deep $hit, but then again, I had assumed that people know, so I don't want to rain on their parade.

So why don't you report those things? Inspectors can't be everywhere at all times so we can't see everything. Even high risk food premises are only inspected three times a year. That leaves a LOT of days that those premises have no one in there inspecting. The chocolate bar issue you mention is not really that big of an issue. They don't need to be refrigerated and a melted chocolate bar is more of a quality issue than anything else. Though they should not be selling items beyond their best before date.


This is who I called after a Tim Hortons served me rotten tomato in my sandwich, they get on it pretty quick, I'd give them a call

Are you sure you didn't deal with the health dept.? The health department often gets referrals from CFIA when people mistakenly complain to them about issues like this.

Rotten tomato? Meh, I would have just pointed it out to the manager and gotten my sandwich replaced.

[creature]

Grocery store floors get inspected just once a year. So if the day the inspector goes there everything is fine, they won't know if something goes wrong the next day. And they won't be in there to conduct a routine inspection until one year later. Of course if there is a complaint we have to initiate in investigation within 24 hours (this is legislated).



Exactly. Sounds like there might be another resident PHI here :lol:?

Grocery stores are either moderates or highs where I work. A place like Foody Mart is likely a high risk premises with all the food prep they do.

Yes, another PHI in the house. :cheesygri

[amz155]

Grocery stores are either moderates or highs where I work. A place like Foody Mart is likely a high risk premises with all the food prep they do.

Yes, another PHI in the house. :cheesygri

Yeh, I was referring to the grocery store floor as a low. The satelite departments are definately either high or med.

[AudiDude]

So why don't you report those things? Inspectors can't be everywhere at all times so we can't see everything. Even high risk food premises are only inspected three times a year. That leaves a LOT of days that those premises have no one in there inspecting. The chocolate bar issue you mention is not really that big of an issue. They don't need to be refrigerated and a melted chocolate bar is more of a quality issue than anything else. Though they should not be selling items beyond their best before date.


Because it would not be conducive to repeat business. Also because of some of the companies I work for have a lot of money, the last thing that they need is publicity and someone trying to sue them. Now add the tight knit community of the people that run and frequent businesses of the kind I am talking about, and a few people can spread the word to the masses to "watch out for the people who work for (insert company name here)" and many other people will follow and not call you, ever.

I mentioned the temps are high in the store and in the fridges. They have dairy products, meats and eggs in a lot of locations. The melted past their due date chocolate bars were mentioned to point out that your "deal" comes at a price.

The reason why I posted the info is because some people are completely oblivious to what goes on and think everything is on the up and up. As others have posted, they are aware what the true "deal" is and if they want to get sick, let them.

So I can mention one because they can claim to have new management and I haven't been in there for a while, so nobody knows it was me, Saeido Japanese Restaurant in Markham. Old lady fills three bowls with miso soup. Takes five steps away with the ladle still in her hand, stops and thinks, drinks some soup in the ladle and then returns the rest to the large pot it was cooking in on the stove. Walls looked like somone sprayed yellow undercoating on them.

I really wanted to run into the restaurant screaming DON'T ANYBODY EAT ANYTHING!!!, but then it would have been a dead giveaway I was the rat.

[amz155]

Because it would not be conducive to repeat business. Also because of some of the companies I work for have a lot of money, the last thing that they need is publicity and someone trying to sue them. Now add the tight knit community of the people that run and frequent businesses of the kind I am talking about, and a few people can spread the word to the masses to "watch out for the people who work for (insert company name here)" and many other people will follow and not call you, ever.




You do realize that if you complain to the health department that your identity is protected by law, right? Heck you don't even have to give your name or number; you can make an anonymous complaint. No one would ever know it was you. You could even sign up for a new email address and email the complaint in to the webmaster. If a company is breaking the law, why would you care if they don't get repeat business? And who are you suggesting is going to be suing whom? Maybe I'm missing something here...

[chickibum]

No, don't call the CFIA as your concern is not something they oversee. Call the local health department. York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653. This infraction is covered under the Food Premises Regulation which is a provincial legislation, not federal.



No hazardous food should be displayed for sale while not being refrigerated (or held hot depending on the product). Doesn't matter how fast they "move" the yogurt, it still has to be refrigerated. Room temperature is about 20C and hazardous food such as yogurt has to be kept at 4C or less, so it is NOT fine to be stored as in the pic.



Grocery store floors get inspected just once a year. So if the day the inspector goes there everything is fine, they won't know if something goes wrong the next day. And they won't be in there to conduct a routine inspection until one year later. Of course if there is a complaint we have to initiate in investigation within 24 hours (this is legislated).



Exactly. Sounds like there might be another resident PHI here :lol:?



Not so. The yogurt must be refrigerated. Once you get it home you can do whatever you want with it but when its for sale in a regulated premise they must obey the law.



So why don't you report those things? Inspectors can't be everywhere at all times so we can't see everything. Even high risk food premises are only inspected three times a year. That leaves a LOT of days that those premises have no one in there inspecting. The chocolate bar issue you mention is not really that big of an issue. They don't need to be refrigerated and a melted chocolate bar is more of a quality issue than anything else. Though they should not be selling items beyond their best before date.



Are you sure you didn't deal with the health dept.? The health department often gets referrals from CFIA when people mistakenly complain to them about issues like this.

Rotten tomato? Meh, I would have just pointed it out to the manager and gotten my sandwich replaced.

I tried, the manager wasn't there and the employees didn't know what to do. I called the manager and he didn't call me back so I filed a complaint. Had he called me back and offered my $4 back or a replacement I would have let it go. It wasn't just rotten, it had mold... it was fuzzy and black... and your right actually, the CFIA did transfer me to the health department.

[mbg]

I beg to differ. As an inspector, if this was my store, all of those containers of yogourt would be discarded and the store would be charged.

Food regulations are highly conservative, though... they are single prescription to catch all kinds of possible problems.

And they have to be that way to protect people at a federal level.

But, it doesn't mean they are always necessary.

I mean, have you seen the USDA regulations for canning tomatoes at home? Lemon juice added. 90 minutes in a boiling water bath. WTF? They are assuming your jars are laden with scum and you're using excessively ripe tomatoes.

[mbg]

Yogurt was developed as a way to preserve milk when refrigeration was unavailable. It can safely stay unrefrigerated for hours, even a day.

+1

To make yogurt, they sterilize milk, add the bacteria culture, and then heat the milk to 40C for hours to allow the good bacteria to prosper, and then refrigerate it.

The idea is that, as long as the good bacteria thrive, they will keep out the bad bacteria.

The bacteria work faster or slower depending on the temperature. If cooler, they work slower. If warmer, they work faster. They will live until their supply of food (lactose) is exhausted.

So, the warmer you store it, the faster they will consume the remaining lactose and the faster they will die. But you have quite a long time before it's a problem (assuming the yogurt isn't old already).

I guess the problem is that, storing it unfrigerated means the "best before" date isn't as reliable -- depending on how conservative that date is.

[Spor 13]

Thanks OP for posting this. My mom shops at Foody Mart for certain things but I never go with her. I told her about this, and she was disgusted (especially the bacon part) and will stop shopping there. She'd rather shop at Garden Basket or Longo's anyways. I'm always suspect of Chinese supermarkets for any product they sell...even sealed ones, which is why I rarely step foot in them.

[Javeman]

The asian supermarket near us (I think it's called Blue sky or something like that) always has uncovered! big buckets of meat sitting in some kind of sauce, right on the floor in one of the aisles, unrefrigerated. I'm always amazed they can get away with that. Must be a lot of nasty stuff falling into those buckets as people walk by.

[thelefteyeguy]

not that I condone this practice...but I dont buy Astro crap anyways...they have the worst yogurt.

[felix]

After 10-11, it's the only store open. And when I do go, it's for junk food that's usually dry.

The walmart across the street closes at 10. So does the nearby Loblaws I think.
They're opening a new T&T at Kennedy/Hwy7 soon hopefully, so that's a good thing if you need chinese grocery in the area.

[aplayaz2000]

Lesson learned, buy your food at big branches.

[Ojam]

Not so. The yogurt must be refrigerated. Once you get it home you can do whatever you want with it but when its for sale in a regulated premise they must obey the law.

I didn't state anything about the law, only the fact that yogurt doesn't go bad all that quickly.

[amz155]

I didn't state anything about the law, only the fact that yogurt doesn't go bad all that quickly.

Right, but the OP was complaining about a regulated premise not storing yogurt at the proper temp. It doesn't really matter that the yogurt won't spoil immediately, it only matters that the premise isn't doing what is legally required.

[Bookpreviews]

[QUOTE=wilson_wu;11382308]Anything wrong with these photos?

Almost EVERY time I go to Foody Mart, they always have things displayed like this. Do they not even know the basic rules in food safety? Last time, it was Maple Leaf bacon displayed on sale for $0.99, left out till they turned yellow.

This has been going on since the store opened. Why has the health department turned a blind eye to this location? If Loblaws or Walmart blatently did this, the health department would be on their asses.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/yrtfans/P22-08-10_22-55.jpg
--------

Did you go to the Foodbasics beside my house on Walkley rd?:lol:
They do the exact same things with the yogurt when they are on sale.
I asked the manager how long they were out there for and he told me he sold that much in a day and they go quickly....
Still did not answer my question though.

I would not take that if it was free.

[Bookpreviews]

I've worked on both sides of the fence so I am as qualified as one can ever be to comment on this and with Asian businesses, they hire a general help person who will work a variety of jobs and it can get sloppy when it's busy which it is more often than not. When I worked for Dominions (Metro), you would only be dairy or grocery or what have you that's why they're generally more careful with expired products.

There is also a reason why Asian products are cheap, some are knock offs. I've even witnessed one coworker scrubbing the expiry date off of the packaging. Next time you go shopping there, look at the packaging for expiry date; some don't even exist.

I remember when AP was around and they had Fresh or Free- every week I'd find so much expired stuff some from over 1 year ago even.

once they even scratched off the dates on the pillsubury chocolate cookie mix.
I was there the day before, saw it was almost expired and left it.
went back to buy fruits the next day, hoping to get "free" cookie mix and saw they scratched off the dates and left the residue on like little black specks everywhere...

Called the city, food inspection...not too sure what they did if anything.
I tried calling a few times, sent a fax, email...never heard back.

ended up calling General mills/pilsbury and they sent someone and sent me 2 product coupons.

if you are buying juice,pringles,packaged stuff I would probably make sure of the date and also that your item is sealed.
many times at many different stores I have the bad luck of picking up an item anly to find it has been opened already.
for juice, pringles,rice dream and a few other items...

[Bookpreviews]

Lesson learned, buy your food at big branches.

I have seen big branch stores sell a lot of old items- even a Shoppers near me was selling expired sunscreen at 50% off last year.

Loblaws, one near me kept all the Yves veggie items 3 weeks after they were expired and that was after I mentioned that to customer service as I wanted to buy that item.

[getmail99]

Don't buy cooked food from this store, some of my friends reported sick after eating the cooked food.

[AudiDude]

You do realize that if you complain to the health department that your identity is protected by law, right? Heck you don't even have to give your name or number; you can make an anonymous complaint. No one would ever know it was you. You could even sign up for a new email address and email the complaint in to the webmaster. If a company is breaking the law, why would you care if they don't get repeat business? And who are you suggesting is going to be suing whom? Maybe I'm missing something here...

You are definitely missing something here. I am saying that whomever has contracted me to do business at that address would be worried that the owner would figure out that I was the only one who could see such a thing that would be reported.

Now the business owner puts together who he/she has called and that after my visit, the "health police" came. So they warn their friends not to get business from the company I was sent there to do work for.

Now the company that contracts me doesn't want to use my services at all because I can't keep my mouth shut. I could care less if the business I was visiting lost some customers until they clean up their act, but I've got to protect the people I am there working for.

In regards to the suing, if the business owner decides to call "bollocks" or whip up some other story and come after the company that sent me there (especially because some of them are major) and are successful in either causing people to cast doubt on that company, or walk away with any form of compensation, or just plain waste time and money, my name is finished.

I could tell one story here that would rock a major company down to the foundation, but it is a small world and it would bite me in the ***** . I don't do work for them anymore either, but in a pinch I've dug up too much dirt on people and businesses quickly and I am not a professional, so you have to realize how vulnerable the situation actually is.

There are people on this forum who are going to eat out of a dumpster and tell you, you don't know what you are talking about. This thread has had a profound impact and made people think, which is good. We've said our piece, and from me you've been warned, so the best way to get business' attention is to vote with your dollars.

[BwsL]

I remember when AP was around and they had Fresh or Free- every week I'd find so much expired stuff some from over 1 year ago even.

once they even scratched off the dates on the pillsubury chocolate cookie mix.
I was there the day before, saw it was almost expired and left it.
went back to buy fruits the next day, hoping to get "free" cookie mix and saw they scratched off the dates and left the residue on like little black specks everywhere...

Called the city, food inspection...not too sure what they did if anything.
I tried calling a few times, sent a fax, email...never heard back.

ended up calling General mills/pilsbury and they sent someone and sent me 2 product coupons.

if you are buying juice,pringles,packaged stuff I would probably make sure of the date and also that your item is sealed.
many times at many different stores I have the bad luck of picking up an item anly to find it has been opened already.
for juice, pringles,rice dream and a few other items...

Supermarkets such as Foody and Oriental continues to carry their products out on the floor without any consideration of food safety. I have also made several complaints to both Toronto and York Region Public Health services about the the yogurt and eggs being stored outside of the fridge. They have both given me responses immediately and are great with follow ups. However, I had to provide them with photos, location, and time of day to proof what I saw. PH inspectors told me that they had given the stores warnings and will continue to follow up.
Contact info are as below:
For Scarborough shops (Oriental@Alton, Foody@Bamburgh, B-Trust, T&T, etc.), contact Toronto Public Health: publichealth@toronto.ca 416.338.7600
For Markham shops (Foody@Hwy7, Oriental@Denison, T&T, etc.), contact York Region Public Health: CSH-info@york.ca or health.webmaster@york.ca 905.895.4511

I'm beginning to wonder if Public Health have any authority or they've just BS'd about giving warnings and not bother with ticketing and lock ups. I hope those who are also concerned with the same issue can file reports about these stores as well till these stores get their acts together.

[ladyyj]

last time i bought a 1/2 dozen of eggtarts from there and i was ill for 6 continuous days.
i think it was like the end of the day sale kinda thing and the egg tarts went bad...

[sexyj]

that's why they dont allow you to take pics inside the store :lol::lol::lol:


but... myob