10I — Single-service articles improperly stored, dispensed or reused
Single-service articles are made to be used once; reusing them or letting people handle the part that touches food or a customer's mouth spreads germs. The rule requires them stored protected and dispensed without touching the contact surface. It's a General violation (2-5 points). The common slips are a stack of cups stored face-up and open, exposed straws on the counter, or reusing 'disposable' containers to save money.
What the inspector looks for
Look at your single-use items — cups, lids, straws, deli containers, portion cups. They must be stored covered and dispensed handle-out or sleeve-down so fingers don't touch the food/mouth contact area, and never washed and reused. An open, uncovered sleeve of cups, straws exposed to handling, or a 'washed' single-use container is the violation.
Points & grade impact
Cited at 2 points — 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 across condition I-IV. NYC adds every cited violation’s points into one inspection score: 0–13 = A, 14–27 = B, 28+ = C.
How to fix it
Protect and properly dispense single-service articles; discard any single-use items that were reused.
How to prevent it
Store single-service items covered and handle-out; never reuse single-use articles; provide protected dispensers for straws and lids.
- ✓Store cups, lids, and containers in their sleeves/inverted and covered until use; keep them off the floor.
- ✓Dispense so hands touch only the bottom or the sleeve — never the rim, the inside, or the mouth end of a straw.
- ✓Never wash and reuse single-service items; throw them out after one use.
- ✓Use protected dispensers for straws, lids, and stirrers at self-serve stations.
Reference: Health Code §81.07(o)
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