State: 86 Long Island supermarkets, groceries get health citations

Health inspectors on Long Island have issued 809 food safety violations that are pending against 86 stores in the past year, according to the latest list from the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Of those 809 citations, 129, or 15.9 percent, were for critical food and safety violations, including offenses that could lead to food-borne illnesses. The most common critical offenses were for evidence of insects, rodents and other vermin.

The total citations in the latest list, dated Jan. 11, 2018, represent a decrease from the 1,268 citations at 120 stores that were posted in July 2017.

Overall, eight of the 86 Nassau and Suffolk shops named on the new list had 15 or more violations.  To search the database for Long Island and New York City, click here.

In New York City, inspectors cited 1,185 groceries and food stores for a total of 12,898 violations.  That represents an increase from the 12,230 violations at 1,103 stores on record in February 2017.  Of the latest citations, 2,094 were critical violations, accounting for 16.2 percent of the total.  Forty-four stores in the city had 20 or more violations listed, up from 31 stores in July.