Florida Statutes
Chapter 500 - Food Products
500.147 - Inspection of Food Establishments, Food Records, and Vehicles.


(1) The department or its duly authorized agent shall have free access at all reasonable hours to any food establishment, any food records, or any vehicle being used to transport or hold food in commerce for the purpose of inspecting such establishment, records, or vehicle to determine whether this chapter or any rule adopted under this chapter is being violated; to secure a sample or a specimen of any food after paying or offering to pay for such sample; to see that all sanitary rules adopted by the department are complied with; to facilitate tracing of food products in the event of a food-borne illness outbreak or identification of an adulterated or misbranded food item; or to enforce the special-occupancy provisions of the Florida Building Code which apply to food establishments.
(2) The department or its duly authorized agent may appoint inspectors for making such inspections and taking such samples as are necessary for the proper enforcement of this chapter. The department shall make or cause to be made examination of samples secured under the provisions of this section to determine if any provision of this chapter is being violated.
(3) For bottled water plants:
(a) Bottled water must be from an approved source. Bottled water must be processed in conformance with 21 C.F.R. part 129 (2006), and must conform to 21 C.F.R. part 165 (2006). A person operating a bottled water plant shall be responsible for all water sampling and analyses required by this chapter.
(b) All microbiological, chemical, physical, or radiological testing and analyses of source water and finished product required by this chapter must be performed by an approved laboratory. Records of the sampling and analyses must be maintained on file at the plant for not less than 2 years and made available to the department upon request.

(4) For packaged ice plants:
(a) Water used in packaged ice must be from an approved source. The finished product must meet the primary water quality standards established under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, Pub. L. No. 93-523, as amended. A person operating a packaged ice plant shall be responsible for all water sampling and analyses required by this chapter.
(b) All packaged ice plants must submit to an approved laboratory, once every 3 months, a sample of each type of finished product for microbiological analysis. The quarterly laboratory analysis must include testing for fecal and total coliform organisms. Total coliforms must not be greater than 2.2 organisms/100 ml. using the most probable number method or not greater than 1 organism/100 ml. using the membrane filtration method. Packaged ice must have no fecal coliform-positive samples. All microbiological, chemical, physical, or radiological analyses required by this chapter must be performed by an approved laboratory.
(c) All records of sampling and analyses of source water and finished product must be maintained by the plant for a period of not less than 2 years and made available to the department upon request.

(5) Visits for the purpose of sample collection do not constitute inspection visits.
History.—s. 21, ch. 19656, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(684); s. 4, ch. 59-302; ss. 14, 19, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 426, ch. 77-147; s. 15, ch. 82-225; s. 11, ch. 87-388; s. 12, ch. 94-180; s. 21, ch. 97-220; s. 46, ch. 2000-141; s. 3, ch. 2007-67; s. 12, ch. 2012-190; s. 35, ch. 2014-150.
Note.—Former s. 500.21.

Structure Florida Statutes

Florida Statutes

Title XXXIII - Regulation of Trade, Commerce, Investments, and Solicitations

Chapter 500 - Food Products

500.01 - Florida Food Safety Act; Short Title.

500.02 - Purpose of Chapter.

500.03 - Definitions; Construction; Applicability.

500.032 - Declaration of Policy and Cooperation Among Departments.

500.033 - Florida Food Safety and Food Defense Advisory Council.

500.04 - Prohibited Acts.

500.09 - Rulemaking; Analytical Work.

500.10 - Food Deemed Adulterated.

500.11 - Food Deemed Misbranded.

500.115 - Advertisement of Food Deemed False.

500.12 - Food Permits; Building Permits.

500.121 - Disciplinary Procedures.

500.13 - Addition of Poisonous or Deleterious Substance to Food.

500.147 - Inspection of Food Establishments, Food Records, and Vehicles.

500.148 - Reports and Dissemination of Information; Confidentiality.

500.149 - Employment of Help; Expenses and Salaries.

500.165 - Transporting Shipments of Food Items; Rules; Penalty.

500.166 - Records of Interstate Shipment.

500.167 - Carriers in Interstate Commerce; Exception.

500.169 - Enforcement of Federal Act.

500.171 - Injunction to Restrain Violation.

500.172 - Embargoing, Detaining, Destroying of Food, Food Processing Equipment, or Areas That Are in Violation.

500.173 - Causes for Seizure and Condemnation of Foods.

500.174 - Seizure; Procedure; Prohibition on Sale or Disposal of Article; Penalty.

500.175 - Condemnation and Sale; Release of Seized Article.

500.177 - Penalty for Violation of S. 500.04; Dissemination of False Advertisement.

500.178 - Duty of State Attorney.

500.179 - Issuance of Warnings for Minor Violations.

500.451 - Horse Meat; Offenses.

500.459 - Water Vending Machines.

500.511 - Fees; Enforcement; Preemption.

500.60 - Regulation of Meat Preempted to State.

500.70 - Tomato Food Safety Standards; Inspections; Penalties; Tomato Good Agricultural Practices; Tomato Best Management Practices.

500.80 - Cottage Food Operations.

500.81 - Healthy Food Financing Initiative.

500.90 - Regulation of Polystyrene Products Preempted to Department.