Which White Plains Grocer is the Grossest: MAP

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From soiled cookware to scattered mouse dropping, and watered-down hand-sanitizer to squalid produce rooms, many of White Plains' supermarkets and grocery stores are far from paragons of health and cleanliness, according to state data.

Using facts and figures pulled from the state's Department of Agriculture and Markets, Patch has delved into reports on the city's primary retail food stores to create an exclusive, interactive map of which local grocers are hygenic—and which tip the scales in the other direction.

While restaurants in White Plains are inspected by the Westchester County Department of Health, local grocers fall under the auspices of New York State's DAM.

RELATED: 5 Things You Should Know About Grocery Inspections

For White Plains, Patch culled data from 88 stores, sprawling supermarkets and small-scale pharmacies alike. Our findings are based on inspections over the past few years, with most as recent as six months.

Sanitary complications are either listed as "general deficiencies," which inspectors say did not present an immediate heath risk, or "critical deficiencies" that pose a viable hazard to customers. One critical violation and the market fails inspection. In some cases, the state seizes foodstuffs that are deemed "unfit" or "unsafe" to shoppers.

A closer look at White Plains

Kam Sen Foods, nestled into the first floor of the White Plains Mall, was the only local market to have food seized by the state—inspectors carted off salmon and tuna from an unapproved source last October.

The store, which sells sushi along with traditional Chinese eats and sundries, presented eight critical deficiencies during that October 15, 2012 inspection. Officials spotted nearly 100 fresh mouse droppings in a rear storage area, uncovered heavily-notched cutting boards with food particles caked on, and discovered the hand-washing sink in the women's restroom lacked hot water.

One of the city's largest grocers, Whole Foods on Bloomingdale Road, failed three inspections last year.

RELATED: White Plains' Whole Foods Failed 3 Health Inspections in 2012

During Whole Foods most recent inspection in November of 2012, state workers spied seven general deficiencies. Among them: defective doors on the meat display cooler, and debris strewn about the backroom's floor.

But not all supermarkets in the city racked up a list of sanitary hiccups: Genji Sushi Express on Bloomingdale Road—inside of Whole Foods—had only one general deficiency during its most-recent inspection. Other low scorers include the CVS at 601 North Broadway and Edible Arrangements on Mamaroneck Avenue.

Who's Behind the Inspections?

According to the state, there were 110 inspectors on the state’s payroll in 2012 responsible for about 31,000 retail food stores and around 6,200 food warehouses, wineries and other processors. Delis are included in the department’s inspections if 50 percent or less of their business is selling ready-to-eat food.

"They are our eyes and ears behind the scenes," said Robert Gravani, a professor at Cornell University who trains state inspectors.

Inspectors show up unannounced, and can spend as little as hour or more than a day inspecting a store, said Stephen Stich, Director of Food Safety and Inspection at the department.

The Inspection System

In 29 percent of the 30,372 retail food store inspections conducted statewide in 2012, the inspector found one or more problems that could make customers sick, Patch’s analysis of public records shows.

If an inspector finds a serious hazard to food safety, the store fails the inspection. Our analysis found more than 5,300 stores across the state failed an inspection last year, and more than 1,100 stores failed more than once. The department can fine the store up to $600 for the first critical deficiency, and double that amount for any more critical problems.

The department does more than just hand out fines. Sometimes, inspectors supervise supermarket employees as they correct violations on the spot, such as sanitizing dirty deli slicers, Stich said. Inspectors also hold in-store trainings to educate employees on the importance of food safety.

"These companies want to do things right," Gravani said. "Sometimes they fall down. That’s why you have a regulatory system."

Shoppers should call state inspectors with complaints about their local supermarket, such as spoiled food, Stich said.

You can reach the Long Island and NYC regional office, located in Brooklyn, at (718) 722-2876.

But if you think food from the supermarket made you sick, contact your local health department, Stich said.

You can reach the Westchester County Health Department at (914) 813-5000.

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