ORLANDO, Fla. — 7-Eleven announced Friday it has launched an investigation into one of its Orlando stores after a state inspection report detailed disturbing claims from an employee about what she says she witnessed nearly every day inside the store.
According to the complaint, the clerk, Bianca Mendoza, told inspectors she saw her manager, Alex Houtoun, wash mold off expired sandwiches, rewrap them and then sell them to customers.
She also told inspectors Houtoun took sandwiches home to hide them from corporate inspectors.
The 7-Eleven at the center of the complaint is located at 5703. S. Semoran Blvd.
“People are eating rotten food,” said Mendoza, who noted she risked getting fired for coming forward. “I think it’s wrong. I think it’s disgusting, and it’s just unfair to the customers.”
When a state health inspector visited the store on Wednesday, he didn’t find any violations, but did opt to issue a written warning. The warning alerted Houtoun that the practice “was not acceptable,” and “explained the risks to the consuming public.”
Houtoun denied the claims when Eyewitness News reporter Mike Manzoni confronted him Friday afternoon.
In a statement released Friday, 7-Eleven wrote: “The safety of our customers is very important to 7-Eleven. We are actively investigating this matter.”
Cox Media Group
