David Y. Ige

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) Sanitation Branch has issued a Notice of Violation and Order against Aji Limo, LLC for operating without a DOH-issued food establishment permit and removing a posted “Closed” red placard.

Aji Limo, LLC has been charged with selling food without a required state permit from a lunch wagon near Pupukea Beach Park in Haleiwa and assessed a $5,000 penalty. The business has 20 days to request a hearing to contest the allegations and order.

An inspector observed the illegal operation on Sept. 22, issued written orders to close immediately, and posted a red “Closed” placard on the lunch wagon. A follow-up inspection on Sept. 25 revealed the placard had been removed in violation of Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) Chapter 11-50.

”Placard removal is a serious violation as it places the profits of the food establishment ahead of the public’s right to know about pending health code violations observed during the last inspection,” said Peter Oshiro, Sanitation Branch program manager. “Only authorized DOH agents may post or remove a color-coded placard which indicates the compliance status of a food establishment.”

Oshiro said food preparation facilities are required to have the proper permits to ensure that they have been inspected and are following rules designed to prevent foodborne illness.

“Food preparation facilities that operate without a valid DOH permit place the public at undue risk for contracting food illnesses,” Oshiro said. “Customers of unlicensed operations are exposed to food that may have been prepared in a substandard facility, or may have been unsafely prepared by workers who do not follow the rules designed to prevent disease transmission.”

The DOH Sanitation Branch protects the health of Hawaii residents and visitors through education of food industry workers and regulation of food establishments statewide. The branch conducts routine health inspections of food establishments where food products are prepared, manufactured, distributed or sold. The branch also investigates the sources of food borne illnesses and potential adulteration; and is charged with mitigating foodborne outbreaks and/or the prevention of future occurrences. Health inspectors work closely with business owners, food service workers, and the food industry to ensure safe food preparation practices and sanitary conditions.

Since DOH launched the Food Safety Program in July 2014, more than 25,000 health inspections have been conducted, with the issuance of more than 21,500 green “Pass” placards, 4,500 “Conditional Pass” placards, and 4 red “Closed” placards.

The public may access inspection results for Oahu food establishments online at https://hi.healthinspections.us/hawaii/. For more information on the department’s restaurant placarding program, go to https://health.hawaii.gov/san/.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Peter Oshiro

Sanitation Branch

Phone: (808) 586-8000

Email: [email protected]

 

Dennis Galolo

Information Specialist

Phone: (808) 586-4407

Email: [email protected]