Chosen African/Carib Grocery Store

Inspection summary

Chosen African/Carib Grocery Store has been inspected 4 times by Durham Region Health Department since October 31, 2024. The most recent inspection, on June 18, 2026, found no infractions.

2 of 4 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 2 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Pests.

The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.

What these findings mean

Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.

• Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk

  This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.

  Recorded once on December 8, 2025. For example: Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration

• Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk

  Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.

  Recorded once on June 9, 2025. For example: Hand washing basin with supplies of hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser and single-use towels

• PestsHigher risk

  Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.

  Recorded once on June 9, 2025. For example: Adequate protection against the entrance of insects, vermin, and rodents

• Building, plumbing and upkeepLower risk

  Floors, walls and ceilings must be smooth and clean, with working lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hot and cold water, and washrooms. These are rarely an immediate food-safety risk on their own, but persistent problems can lead to pest or sanitation issues.

  Recorded once on December 8, 2025. For example: All foods at the premises are from an inspected source

• Food safety training and certificationLower risk

  Most jurisdictions require a certified food handler or manager on site, and some require allergen or food-worker training. These findings mean the paperwork or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean food was handled unsafely.

  Recorded once on June 9, 2025. For example: Minimum of 1 Certified Food Handler per hour of operation?

About this data

These results come from Durham Region Health Department, which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.

• View the official Durham Region Health Department disclosure site
• See all inspected facilities in Durham Region
• How to read an inspection report