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Compliance · 8 min read

DBPR refrigeration violations, explained

Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) inspects every licensed food-service operator. Refrigeration is one of the most commonly cited categories. Here's how to prevent the three most costly violations.

Section 01

Violation: Cold-holding above 41°F

The most common refrigeration violation in Florida. Often triggered by probe-in-product checks during inspection. Prevention: set walk-ins 34–36°F, continuously log temps, and fix door gaskets immediately when they fail.

Section 02

Violation: No temperature log

Manual temp sheets with gaps, missing signatures, or obvious back-filling are a red flag. Continuous logging via IoT sensors eliminates this category entirely.

Section 03

Violation: Condensation or ice buildup

Visible water dripping inside a walk-in, frozen evaporator coil, or water pooling on the floor. Usually a cheap fix caught during PM — expensive if it's an emergency order.

Section 04

Emergency orders

244 DBPR emergency orders were issued in the Tampa Bay region in recent tracking. Refrigeration failure is one of the top triggers. An emergency order means closure until remediation — revenue loss measured in days, not hours.

Section 05

What we do

FrostIQ™ pulls your DBPR history before we arrive, so we know exactly which violations to address first. ColdSentry™ makes the temp-log violation impossible. And quarterly PM via ArcticOS™ catches the physical issues before an inspector does.

More

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Guide7 min

The right temperature range for every walk-in unit

Coolers, freezers, prep tables, reach-ins — what the Florida food code actually requires vs. what's safe vs. what's ideal.

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Why your walk-in won't hold temperature

The seven most common failures behind a walk-in that can't maintain setpoint — and the two you can check before calling a tech.

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Ice machine cleaning & sanitization schedule

Quarterly, monthly, and daily tasks — who does each, and how to document them for DBPR.

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