THE MUSTARD SEED DELI EARNS NEAR FAILING HEALTH INSPECTION SCORE OF 71 OVER MOLDY FOOD, HANDWASHING FAILURES
The Mustard Seed Deli, located at 1612 S. Roane St., the former location of Long John Silver’s, in Harriman, received a failing score of 71 on its routine health inspection conducted on October 12, 2026, by the Tennessee Department of Health. For reference, anything below 70 is considered a failing health score.
The inspection uncovered multiple priority violations, most notably a lack of hand soap at the employee handwashing sink that inspectors noted had been missing since the previous Saturday. The Person in Charge (PIC) admitted they had not had soap available since opening at 7:00 AM that morning, and subsequently handled a cash register, touched their face, and prepared to make food without washing their hands.
Additional critical violations included:
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Adulterated Food: A quarter-pound container of roasted red peppers was found covered in a white and off-yellow fuzzy substance with no date marking. The product was immediately embargoed and pulled from service.
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Cross-Contamination: Raw bacon was stored above deli meat, and raw beef was stored above hoagie buns in the walk-in cooler.
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Missing Food Safety Controls: Roast beef prepped and cut on Saturday, October 10th, lacked proper date marking until inspectors instructed staff to label it.
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Sanitation and Maintenance: Inspectors observed heavy food debris on bottom shelves and equipment surfaces, scored and stained cutting boards, and physical facility issues including chipped floor tiles and peeling ceilings with a black substance present.
The establishment is expected to correct these priority violations to meet Tennessee food service safety standards.
Click here to view the full report: https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/tennessee/inspection/?inspectionID=5DBD3272-A308-4D12-BEF6-C294F3A8A00A
