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The Harris Teeter in NoMa was temporarily shut down today after the D.C. Department of Health found a live mouse in a storage container in the pizza prep area during an inspection, according to the inspection report. The inspection also found small and large flies on surfaces in the deli, produce, and meat prep areas.
Rodent feces, at least some of which presumably belonged to the live mouse that was observed, was spotted on the floor and equipment in the pizza prep area.
Danna Jones, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina-based grocery chain, tells City Desk in an email that this is an isolated incident and the store will re-open “soon.” Harris Teeter is working with the Health Department to “do everything possible to prevent future incidents from occurring,” she says.
In order for the store to re-open, it needs to fix the infractions listed in the health inspection report and pass another inspection.
The report also found that there was no paper towels at the hand washing station at the sushi and deli prep line. Expired gallons of milk and containers of Oscar Meyer deli meats were in refrigerators in the retail area.
A November inspection report found unclean food-contact surfaces in the store and no paper towels at some hand washing stations.
Read today’s full inspection report here.
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