Health Dept. Reaches $20,000 Settlement with Kanemitsu’s Bakery

By Maui Now Staff

The state Department of Health announced today that it has reached a $20,000 settlement with Moloka’i’s Kanemitsu’s Bakery over alleged health violations involving food safety.

“We expect that Kanemitsu’s Bakery will comply with all food safety rules and regulations,” said Gary Gill, DOH deputy director of Environmental Health in a press release statement. “It is both a legal requirement and a moral responsibility to ensure that food sold to the public is safe, wholesome and uncontaminated,” he said.

We attempted to seek comment from the owner of the bakery, but he was not expected to arrive for work until later today.

The Department of Health suspended the food establishment permit for the bakery in April 2012, for what health officials described as “numerous health code violations” and for not complying with DOH orders to stop all sales of products produced at the bakery.

Department officials say an inspection on June 20, 2012, revealed “serious deficiencies” in the maintenance and manufacturing practices at the facility.

The bakery remained closed until mid-November 2012, according to the Department of Health.

Kanemitsu’s Bakery is located at 79 Ala Malama Avenue in Kaunakakai on the island of Molokaʻi.