A state inspection found ‘rodent-like excreta’ near a Miami spice company’s spices

Rodent droppings lowlighted the problems at a Miami company that sells a full rack of spices, as well as grains and beans under five brands.

That’s what Florida Department of Agriculture Inspector Jose Lares found at Sunshine Spice, 8180 NW 36th Ave., during a July 8 inspection, Sunshine’s first visit from an inspector of any kind since an Aug. 5, 2019 inspection by the FDA. No citations resulted from that inspection.

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Unlike inspections of restaurants by the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation, a failed inspection by a Department of Agriculture inspector doesn’t shut down a supermarket, grocer, convenience store, food processor or food storage facility. The inspector can, however, put enough parts of the establishment under a Stop Use Order that the owner decides there’s no point to operating the business.

Inspector Lares didn’t do that at Sunshine Spice, which sells spices under the Sunshine brand, and grains and beans under the El Rey, Cacique, Espiga de Teresita and Ti-Machan’n brands. Sunshine first was registered as a corporation with the state by current vice president Pablo Mejia in 1995 and has been run by president Maria Alviso since 2009.

But, here’s what Inspector Lares did find:

▪ Wood, plywood and cardboard against an outside near the open dumpster (a violation itself) which “may constitutes a harborage area for pests.” Also, there were holes where the warehouse floors and walls meet “where pests may enter.”

Bay doors that “lead to areas where pallets of food and packaging materials are stored” with “visible gaps” that could allow vermin entry.

▪ With entrances and a rest area, it’s no surprise that Lares also saw “rodent-like excreta on the floor under the spice storage rack in the dry storage area. Also, inside the seasoning processing room, round rodent-like excreta on the floor underneath the horizontal mixer.”

But, Lares said he saw, “no evidence of compromised or contaminated food products.”

▪ The handwashing sinks in that processing room and the liquid food products’ processing room “where ready-to-eat products are packaged” didn’t have soap, paper towels or even hand sanitizer.

“Several hose bibs throughout the facility” didn’t have a device preventing backflow. So, there’s not enough “protection from piping systems that discharge wastewater or sewage.”