Desi Cart Groceries & Convenience
1214 Simcoe St N, Oshawa ON L1G 4W9 · Food Safety Inspections
Inspection summary
Desi Cart Groceries & Convenience has been inspected 13 times by Durham Region Health Department since January 8, 2025. The most recent inspection, on August 18, 2026, recorded 5 infractions.
1 of 13 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 9 inspections with 31 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Chemicals and toxic substances and Cleaning and sanitizing.
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 7 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on August 18, 2026. For example:
Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk
Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.
Recorded 6 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on August 18, 2026. For example:
Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk
Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.
Recorded 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on March 10, 2026. For example:
Food contact surfaces washed / rinsed / sanitized after each use and following any operations when contamination may have occurred
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 3, 2026. For example:
Adequate protection against the entrance of insects, vermin, and rodents
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on March 10, 2026. For example:
Hand washing basin with supplies of hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser and single-use towels
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.
13 inspections
- Routine
5 infractions
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- * Observed scoops/utensils not being stored in a sanitary manner to prevent contamination and/or adulteration
- Operator to ensure scoops/utensils are stored and maintained in a sanitary manner to prevent contamination and/or adulteration
- Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
- * Fail to maintain utensils, multi-service articles and/or food contact surfaces in a clean and sanitary manner and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure all food contact surfaces, utensils and/or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized after each use and are maintained in good repair
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Floors clean and in good repair
- * Fail to ensure floors of food premise are kept clean and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- Lighting adequate for food preparation and cleaning
- * Fail to provide adequate lighting for food preparation and cleaning
- Provide adequate lighting for food preparation and cleaning
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- Re-Inspection
2 infractions
- Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
- * Fail to maintain utensils, multi-service articles and/or food contact surfaces in a clean and sanitary manner and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure all food contact surfaces, utensils and/or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized after each use and are maintained in good repair
- Floors clean and in good repair
- * Fail to ensure floors of food premise are kept clean and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
- Re-Inspection
4 infractions
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- * Fail to protect food from contamination and/or adulteration
- Operator to ensure all foods are stored off the floor
- Adequate protection against the entrance of insects, vermin, and rodents
- * Fail to ensure storage areas are clean and organized to facilitate monitoring of pest control
- * Evidence of pests observed
- Operator to ensure storage areas are maintained clean and organized to facilitate the monitoring of pest control
- Floors clean and in good repair
- * Fail to ensure floors of food premise are kept clean and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- General housekeeping is satisfactory
- * Fail to remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of the food premise
- Operator to remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of food premise
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- Complaint
5 infractions
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- * Fail to protect food from contamination and/or adulteration
- Operator to ensure all foods are stored off the floor
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces as readily cleanable and non-absorbent
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are readily cleanable/non-absorbent and of sound and tight construction.
- Adequate protection against the entrance of insects, vermin, and rodents
- * Fail to ensure storage areas are clean and organized to facilitate monitoring of pest control
- * Fail to prevent the entrance of insect / rodent / pest
- * Evidence of significant pests observed
- Contact licensed pest control operator for insect / rodent / pest treatment and control
- Operator to ensure storage areas are maintained clean and organized to facilitate the monitoring of pest control
- Operator to ensure food premise shall be protected against the entry of pest
- Floors clean and in good repair
- * Fail to ensure floors of food premise are kept clean and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- General housekeeping is satisfactory
- * Fail to remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of the food premise
- Operator to remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of food premise
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- Routine
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
1 infraction
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- Routine
6 infractions
- Hand washing basin with supplies of hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser and single-use towels
- * Fail to provide adequate supplies (single-use towels, soap in a dispenser) for the hand washing basin in the food preparation area
- Operator to ensure hand washing basins are adequately supplied
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- * Fail to protect food from contamination and/or adulteration
- Operator to ensure all foods are covered in storage
- Operator to ensure all foods are stored off the floor
- Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
- * Fail to use equipment/utensils/dishes/food containers/multi-service articles in good repair (i.e. free from cracks/crevices/chips/open seams)
- Operator to ensure all food contact surfaces, utensils and/or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized after each use and are maintained in good repair
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Food contact surfaces washed / rinsed / sanitized after each use and following any operations when contamination may have occurred
- * Fail to ensure sanitizing solution contains the appropriate type of chemical solution and/or concentration/strength of sanitizer
- Operator to ensure sanitizing solution contain the appropriate type of chemical solution and/or concentration/strength for sanitizing
- General housekeeping is satisfactory
- * Fail to remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of the food premise
- Operator to remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of food premise
- Hand washing basin with supplies of hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser and single-use towels
- Re-Inspection
1 infraction
- Floors clean and in good repair
- * Fail to ensure floors of food premise are kept clean and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure floor or floor coverings are tight, smooth and non-absorbent
- Floors clean and in good repair
- Routine
7 infractions
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- * Observed raw foods stored above cooked / ready-to-eat foods
- Operator to ensure cooked and ready-to-eat foods are separated and above raw foods when handled or stored
- Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
- * Fail to maintain utensils, multi-service articles and/or food contact surfaces in a clean and sanitary manner and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure all food contact surfaces, utensils and/or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized after each use and are maintained in good repair
- Operator to ensure all food contact surfaces/equipment/utensils/multi-service articles are made of materials that can be readily cleaned and sanitized
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
- * Fail to use proper wash/rinse/sanitize technique
- Operator to ensure the proper wash/rinse/sanitize dishwashing technique is applied
- Food contact surfaces washed / rinsed / sanitized after each use and following any operations when contamination may have occurred
- * Fail to ensure food contact surfaces are cleaned & sanitized after each use or as often as necessary
- Operator to ensure all food contact surfaces are properly cleaned & sanitized
- Floors clean and in good repair
- * Fail to ensure floors of food premise are kept clean and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure floor or floor coverings are tight, smooth and non-absorbent
- Walls clean and in good repair
- * Fail to ensure walls of food premise kept clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure walls of food premise are maintained in a sanitary condition and in good repair
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- Complaint
1 infraction
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- Re-Inspection
3 infractions
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- * Observed raw foods stored above cooked / ready-to-eat foods
- Operator to ensure cooked and ready-to-eat foods are separated and above raw foods when handled or stored
- Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- Routine
7 infractions
- Hot holding of potentially hazardous food: minimum of 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating
- * Fail to hold potentially hazardous food at 60°C (140°F) or higher after cooking / rapid re-heating
- Operator to ensure potentially hazardous foods are held at 60°C (140°F) or higher after cooking/rapid reheating
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- * Fail to ensure hand washing basin is easily accessible
- * Fail to use basin only for hand washing of employees
- Operator to ensure a designated hand washing basin is provided and/or accessible in each food preparation area
- Operator to ensure designated hand washing basin is only used for hand washing
- Hand washing basin with supplies of hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser and single-use towels
- * Fail to provide hot and cold water for hand washing in food preparation area
- Operator to ensure hand washing basins are adequately supplied
- Food protected from potential contamination and/or adulteration
- * Observed raw foods stored above cooked / ready-to-eat foods
- Operator to ensure cooked and ready-to-eat foods are separated and above raw foods when handled or stored
- Food contact surfaces properly designed, constructed, installed, maintained, located (smooth, non-absorbent, cleanable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic)
- * Fail to maintain utensils, multi-service articles and/or food contact surfaces in a clean and sanitary manner and/or in good repair
- Operator to ensure all food contact surfaces, utensils and/or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized after each use and are maintained in good repair
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Sanitary maintenance of and provision of required supplies in staff / public washroom facilities
- * Fail to keep washroom in good repair, clean and sanitary condition
- Operator to ensure the washroom facilities are maintained clean and in good repair
- Hot holding of potentially hazardous food: minimum of 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating
- Routine
3 infractions
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
- * Fail to maintain all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are in clean and in good repair
- Operator to ensure that all equipment/non-food contact surfaces are maintained clean and in good repair
- Food contact surfaces washed / rinsed / sanitized after each use and following any operations when contamination may have occurred
- * Fail to ensure food contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized before and after food preparation
- * Fail to wash, rinse and sanitize equipment / utensils after each use or as often as necessary
- Sanitary maintenance of and provision of required supplies in staff / public washroom facilities
- * Fail to keep washroom in good repair, clean and sanitary condition
- Operator to ensure the washroom facilities are maintained clean and in good repair
- Equipment, non-food contact surfaces and linen are maintained, designed, constructed, installed and accessible for cleaning
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