SF Tian Tian Market Closed for Rodent Droppings & Safety

Tian Tian Market Inc on Stockton Street in North Beach was ordered closed by San Francisco health inspectors on October 14 after discovering rodent droppings near the water heater and multiple critical safety violations that posed immediate health risks to customers. The market at 1117 Stockton Street failed this inspection during a follow-up visit when inspector Sophia Huie found conditions that violated basic food safety standards. The most alarming discovery was rodent droppings on the floor in a corner adjacent to the hot water heater, creating a serious contamination risk in the food preparation area.

Critical Health Violations Found

Beyond the rodent evidence, inspectors documented a cascade of safety failures that painted a disturbing picture of operations. The facility had no hand soap or paper towels available at crucial handwashing stations in both the meat preparation section and fish preparation section, making proper hygiene impossible for workers handling raw proteins. Staff were caught without any sanitizer solution at the start of the inspection, forcing them to scramble and prepare a 100ppm chlorine sanitizer solution only after inspectors arrived. This violation meant food contact surfaces and wiping cloths had been operating without proper sanitization, creating ideal conditions for bacterial growth and cross-contamination. The fish preparation area revealed heavily stained cutting boards that showed signs of long-term neglect and potential bacterial harboring. Meat debris and accumulated grime coated the sliding doors of the meat cooler, while the left section of the meat preparation table was missing essential sneeze guard panels that protect food from airborne contamination.

Food Storage and Sanitation Failures

Inspectors found serious storage violations throughout the facility. Various boxes of produce sat directly on the floor both in the front and back areas, violating basic food safety protocols that require elevation to prevent contamination from floor debris and cleaning chemicals. Even more concerning, customers were being offered self-service access to a plastic container holding frozen whole shrimp and frozen pieces of raw fish without proper protective barriers. The facility also lacked a certified food safety manager on site, meaning no qualified person was overseeing critical food safety protocols. This absence of professional oversight likely contributed to the multiple violations inspectors discovered throughout the North Beach establishment. Additional structural issues included inadequate vermin proofing with only half-inch metal wire mesh protecting openings in the basement and throughout the facility. Unused fish tanks stored in the back created additional clutter and potential harboring areas for pests, while debris accumulated on floors under equipment and in preparation areas.

Health Risks and Customer Impact

The combination of rodent contamination, absent handwashing facilities, and unsanitized surfaces created a perfect storm for foodborne illness transmission. Rodent droppings can carry dangerous pathogens including Salmonella and hantavirus, while the lack of proper sanitization allows bacteria to multiply rapidly on food contact surfaces. Customers visiting the market near the Powell-Mason Cable Car line would have been exposed to potentially contaminated products without knowing the serious safety lapses occurring behind the scenes. The market's closure protects the community from these health risks while forcing necessary corrections. The facility remains closed with no reopening date announced, requiring the operator to address all violations and pass a reinspection before resuming operations in the busy North Beach district.