I’m writing to share a serious concern regarding a staff member working in the hot/prepared foods section. There is an older Caucasian woman who is frequently seen in the kitchen area. Yesterday, I and several other customers witnessed her repeatedly coughing, sometimes covering her mouth with her hands, sometimes not, while continuing to handle food. She was not wearing a mask or gloves, and there’s a small opening behind the curtain where this behavior was clearly visible. At one point, once she seemed to be out of public view, she was coughing open mouthed while actively preparing food.
This isn’t an isolated incident. I’ve witnessed this same worker multiple times exhibiting poor hygiene practices while handling food, and it’s made me stop shopping from your hot food section altogether. Another customer commented aloud that she was putting her food back because she believed the same employee had likely contaminated it. In times when food prices are high, it’s deeply concerning to have to worry about basic cleanliness.
Whether this worker is sick or not, these food safety lapses are unacceptable. At the very least, a refresher in proper food handling protocols seems necessary and, more importantly, monitoring to ensure the standards are being followed.
2 Responses
Dan you buy biodynamic green grapes from Marian Farms in Fresno, California, please? – Kate S. Ahmadi
I’m writing to share a serious concern regarding a staff member working in the hot/prepared foods section. There is an older Caucasian woman who is frequently seen in the kitchen area. Yesterday, I and several other customers witnessed her repeatedly coughing, sometimes covering her mouth with her hands, sometimes not, while continuing to handle food. She was not wearing a mask or gloves, and there’s a small opening behind the curtain where this behavior was clearly visible. At one point, once she seemed to be out of public view, she was coughing open mouthed while actively preparing food.
This isn’t an isolated incident. I’ve witnessed this same worker multiple times exhibiting poor hygiene practices while handling food, and it’s made me stop shopping from your hot food section altogether. Another customer commented aloud that she was putting her food back because she believed the same employee had likely contaminated it. In times when food prices are high, it’s deeply concerning to have to worry about basic cleanliness.
Whether this worker is sick or not, these food safety lapses are unacceptable. At the very least, a refresher in proper food handling protocols seems necessary and, more importantly, monitoring to ensure the standards are being followed.
Thank you for taking this seriously.