WHOLE FOODS MARKET

Inspection summary

WHOLE FOODS MARKET has been inspected 29 times by Public Health – Seattle & King County since August 28, 2006. The most recent inspection, on March 24, 2026, found no infractions.

16 of 29 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 0 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Protecting food from contamination.

The last 4 inspections in a row found no infractions. Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.

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.

• Food temperature controlHigher risk

  Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.

  Recorded 11 times across 10 separate inspections, most recently on January 18, 2022. For example: 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures; greater than 45 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (7 degrees Celsius (C))

• 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 8 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on October 23, 2015. For example: 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities

• 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 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on February 18, 2020. For example: 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display

• 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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on February 18, 2020. For example: 4200 - Food-contact surfaces maintained, clean, sanitized

• 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 September 6, 2013. For example: 1200 - Proper shellstock ID; wild mushroom ID; parasite destruction procedures for fish

About this data

These results come from Public Health – Seattle & King County, 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 Public Health – Seattle & King County disclosure site
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