At Some Fort Greene, Clinton Hill Markets, A Grocery List of Health Issues

For locals in northwest Brooklyn, the good news is the bulk of local markets, groceries, delis and convenience stores on your block are clean by state health standards. 

The bad news? As many as one dozen businesses in the area are not.

According to inspections performed by the state's Department of Agriculture and Markets in the area, 12 Fort Greene and Clinton Hill businesses have one or more critical violations deemed hazardous to shoppers.

At the top of the list stood Red Apple Supermarket at 218 Myrtle Ave. in Fort Greene. During its most recent inspection on Jan. 16, inspectors found three critical deficiencies that were "an immediate threat to the public health and welfare."

Inspectors noted problems like meat room cutting boards with extensive deep knife cuts containing "embedded/dark matter."

The meat room grinding machine had an accumulation of old, encrusted meat residue on its shaft and hand guards where food makes contact. The meat room bandsaw also had a build up of meat residue on its blade and blade guards. 

An employee who answered the phone at the store would not comment on the violations. 

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For Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Patch, data was collected on 99 markets in the area, ranging from major chain supermarkets to pharmacies and bodegas.

Rolex Deli, on Fulton St. between S. Portland St. and Hanson Pl., also had three critical deficiencies. During its Jan. 25 inspection, the shop's deli slicer machine, poly cutting board and cappuccino machine all had extensive buildups of dark, dried food residue across surfaces that make contact with food. 

An employee who answered the phone at the store would not comment on the violations. 

Two critical deficiencies were found during a Nov. 13 inspection at J & J Food Market, near the corner of Greene Ave. and Cumberland St., including 7.5 pounds of pet foods on retail shelves infested with beetles. 

There were also 10 and 15 live beetles on the pet food shelves in the retail area. They were seized by inspectors during their visit. 

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Cambridge Deli, located at 1001 Fulton St., also earned two critical deficiencies during a January inspection, one of which for a worker preparing a sandwich while wearing egg-soiled gloves.

Seven shops in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill each received one critical deficiency, including: Sam Neighborhood Grocery, NYC Fresh Market, Yafa Deli and Grocery, A & J Grocert and Deli, Rio Deli Grocery, Khims Millennium and Green Hill Food Co-Op.