MARGATE, Fla. – Amid a growing situation regarding listeria concerns at two South Florida locations, Penn Dutch Food Center is closing those stores.
Loyal customers received an email Tuesday from Penn Dutch, which stated that the Hollywood location will not re-open and the Margate location would soon be closing for good as well.
Penn Dutch also said that no decision had been made regarding the location in Sunrise.
According to the SunSentinel, the Margate store will open Wednesday for a going-out-of-business sale.
This all comes after Local 10 News obtained a food safety inspection report that said "environmental" samples have tested positive for listeria at the Penn Dutch Food Center in Margate.
The store is located at 3201 North State Road 7.
The report was issued Monday by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The 110 samples were taken from the store on Sept. 9 after positive food and environmental listeria samples were found last month at the Penn Dutch Food Center in Hollywood.
The Hollywood location has not been open since.
Initially Penn Dutch posted misleading signs outside that location stating that it had been closed for roof repairs.
Back at the Margate location a "stop use" order was issued for several areas and equipment.
All wheeled dollies, black plastic trays, a seafood cutting board, the pallet scale in the tray wash hallway, the deli dust pan, the deli, the deli slicing room, the special cuts room, the seafood department, the fish cooler, the seafood and deli hallway, the ready cooler, the chicken production room, and the future room cannot be used until further notice.
This is not the first time the Margate location has had listeria issues.
As Local 10 News reported back in March, a "stop sale" order was issued on hundreds of pounds of meat because of positive listeria samples.
Penn Dutch management blames the Hollywood issues on a bad roof.
There has been no comment on the current issues in Margate. However, the company stated on its website that the Margate store is closed Tuesday but will reopen at 8 a.m. Wednesday, resuming regular business hours.
Listeria infection is a food-borne bacterial illness that can be very serious for pregnant women, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.
It is most commonly contracted by eating improperly processed deli meats and unpasteurized milk products.
Listeria like moist environments.
Click here for more information about listeria from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.