If you’ve ever done the late night run to the Kanemitsu Bakery for hot, fresh bread you might be devastated by the Department of Health’s recent shutting down of the establishment. Back in March, the bakery was hit with a $90,000 penalty for unsanitary conditions, which owner George Kanemitzu had been appealing. But a June 20 inspection revealed serious problems.
The Maui News reported on June 28 that after state health officials met with bakery owner George Kanemitsu on June 25, they shut the place down until he could fix the violations they found. The bakery has been operating on Molokai for more than 75 years and has quite a following with locals and visitors.
According to the News, on June 15 the DOH received an anonymous complaint alleging that “insects and foreign substances” were found in rolls that had been bought at the Kanemitsu Bakery. During their follow-up inspection, DOH inspectors found “rodents, no water available at the rinse compartment of the sink, unclean food preparation surfaces, no soap and hand towels at hand washing sinks and general unsanitary conditions.”
The DOH is reportedly working closely with Kanemitsu on fixing the problems. But the restaurant next door to the bakery, which is located at 79 Ala Malama Street in Kaunakakai, will stay open because, according to The Maui News, it uses a separate kitchen that doesn’t have any of the health violations associated with the bakery.
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