OCALA, Fla. — 9 Investigates more potentially dangerous health concerns inside a Winn-Dixie.
A freezer failure at an Orlando Winn-Dixie prompted an investigation by the Florida Department of Agriculture, which found nine violations.
The store has until the end of the month to fix the issues.
Raw: Customer confronts Ocala Winn-Dixie over thawed products
Raw: Winn-Dixie employee shows melted freezer products
PDF: Winn-Dixie Failed Inspection Report
Channel 9’s Janine Reyes found even more problems at another Winn-Dixie in Ocala.
Deny Lammardo said her June 27th trip to the store on Maricamp Road shocked her so much, she brought a manager back to the freezer section to explain 60-degree temperatures.
He allegedly told her all freezers go into a defrost cycle.
Mike Kirby, who shops at the store and used to manage grocery stores, said that's not the way the freezers are supposed to work.
“They have a defrost cycle but they shouldn’t let the food get soft like that,” he said.
Reyes asked Winn-Dixie managers if any of the food was thrown out after Lammardo’s complaint.
Reyes wasn’t given an answer and neither was Lammardo, so Lammardo filed a complaint with the Department of Agriculture.
The department inspected the Winn-Dixie on Curry Ford and Goldenrod roads on Thursday.
The store failed the inspection.
The inspection came after 9 Investigates uncovered the freezer failure at the Orlando store.
Lammardo worries both freezer failures point to a bigger problem.
“Corporate needs to answer to it. It’s not just frozen ice cream. It’s not just recycling defrosted food. It’s a bigger story than that,” she said.
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