Violations involving mold and operating without a food permit appeared on the state inspection of a Hialeah bakery for the second time in 10 months.
Don Gollo Bakery, 133 W. 22nd St., claims on its website to be, “your trusted wholesale partner, offering a range of products perfect for cafes, restaurants, and retailers looking to elevate their menu with a taste of authentic Cuban-American goodness.”
In addition to its own Don Gollo brand, the wholesale bakery makes products for private brands Central Pastries, Roma, Tio Paco, Grandia and Riko Nao. But Don Gollo falls short in making sure they have proper labeling on their food or possess a proper permit to be in operation.
“The food establishment has been operating without a valid food permit for more than a year under this ownership,” read one of the violations on the Feb. 23 report by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services inspector Edilma Leidecker.
READ MORE: A Hialeah bakery’s ‘Heavy black mold,’ dishwashing, handwashing problems
Its ownership changed on FDACS paper, not by person. Formerly, Don Gollo Bakery of South Florida listed as president, secretary and director Lyft All Corp., a separate company run by president Nadia Ocampo and vice president Ana Estrada. Now, Don Gollo’s FDACS listed owner is Mr. Diaz Baking Factory Corp., which state corporation records say is run by president Nadia Ocampo and vice president Ana Estrada.
Now, to the violations.
“The fan covers of the walk-in cooler refrigeration systems were encrusted with a mold-like substance.”
““The cleaned and sanitized mixer wire whips were stored on a preparation table directly under the air conditioning equipment with visible debris.”
“The lift used to elevate the mixer bowl containing dough and discharge it into the hopper of the sugar cookie extruder had a heavy accumulation of dried dough residue around the handles and operational control switches.”
“The brush used in the preparation area to apply oil onto trays is not made of food-grade material.” The inspection didn’t specify what kind of brush was used.
“The scoop used to dispense dry ingredients into the mixer was stored on a shelf under preparation table that has visibly rusted and has standing water.”
An “employee did not use soap to wash hands after handling a broom. Then, donned gloves to continue handling ready to eat products in the packaging area without using a hand sanitizer.”
The back door “kept opened while evaporated milk was being sprayed onto sugar cookies during production. The screen installed on the door was not properly constructed to prevent pest entry, as the mesh openings were excessively large.
“Additionally, the screen installed on the front bay door was not properly fitted, as visible gaps were observed along the sides and at the bottom, which may allow pest entry,” the explanation continued. “The bay door leads directly into the raw materials storage area, which is adjacent to the packaging area and separated only by a plastic strip curtain, portions of the plastic strip were torn.”
There were holes in the storage area and production area walls “as well as peeling paint behind the preparation table where the cakes are being cut.”
The prep tables where masa real guava was being packaged was sanitized with a solution called sanitizer soup that had a concentration of 500 parts per million instead the 200 to 400 parts per million appropriate for use.
In the walk-in cooler, there was “liquid evaporated milk stored in an open plastic container without a lid and with a single-service cup left inside the product.”
The label for Don Gollo Bakery brand sugar cookies was missing the ingredient declaration, including allergens food coloring and soybean.
Three days later, when the inspector returned to check corrected food labels, “part of the product had already been shipped without a label to one of its clients, Central Pastries, and without a master label. The remaining product was labeled with a private label, Chico Chico.” The Chico Chico pan de San Francisco got hit with a Stop Sale for missing ingredients and sub-ingredients.
Don Gollo Bakery, a wholesale bakery at 133 W. 22nd St. in Hialeah. DAVID J. NEAL dneal@miamiherald.com
Miami Herald
Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.