News Releases from Department of Health

ʻAiea, Hawaiʻi – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) issued a red placard and immediately shut down Taste Tea, located at 98-1005 Moanalua Road, Aiea, due to lack of proper refrigeration for foods that must be stored cold at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

The food establishment, operated by Taste Tea, Inc., received the red placard on February 1, 2024 and must remain closed until DOH conducts a follow-up inspection and all violations are resolved.

During a follow-up inspection conducted on February 1, 2024, the DOH inspector noted critical violations including:

• On January 30, 2024, two-door under-counter refrigerator was observed holding food temperatures at 45F to 50F.
• Because no other refrigerator is available on-site, the establishment was ordered to keep all potentially hazardous food on ice until the unit can be serviced.
• During a follow-up inspection on February 1, 2024, the two-door under-counter refrigerator was still holding food temperatures at 47F to 48F.
• No cooler with ice was on site, and no other method to keep potentially hazardous food cold was available.

DOH is requiring the food establishment to take the following corrective actions before it can reopen:  

• Discard all potentially hazardous food items currently inside the two-door under-counter refrigerator.
• Have the refrigerator serviced so it can maintain food temperatures of 41F or below.

The next follow-up inspection is scheduled for February 2, 2024.

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/.

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