HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) issued a red placard and immediately shut down Aloha Bakehouse, located at 1001 Waimanu Street, Unit A, in Kaka‘ako due to widespread refrigeration problems and multiple critical violations that pose a significant food safety risk.

The food establishment, operated by Aloha Bakehouse, LLC, received the red placard on September 6, 2023, and must remain closed until DOH conducts a follow-up inspection and all violations are resolved.

During a routine inspection conducted on September 6, 2023, the DOH inspector noted critical violations, which included:

• On-site refrigerators were holding food at unsafe temperatures.
• A worker handling ready-to-eat food with bare hands.
• The hand-washing sink was inaccessible and improperly supplied.
• Sanitizer used to disinfect food equipment was at inadequate concentration.
• Cooked foods held on counters at unsafe temperatures.
• Soup that was prepared on August 20, 2023, was kept longer than the 7-day limit.

DOH is requiring the food establishment to take corrective actions to address these violations before it can reopen.

The next follow-up inspection is scheduled for September 7, 2023.  The operator will need to complete refrigerator repairs and correct other critical violations prior to reopening.

The DOH Food Safety Branch protects and promotes the health of Hawai‘i 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.

For more information on the department’s placarding program go to http://health.hawaii.gov/san/

To view restaurant inspection reports, go to http://hi.healthinspections.us/hawaii/.