The Texas Department of Health (TDH) has shut down ABC Market Place, an Arlington company specializing in oriental foods, after inspectors found rat droppings, rat urine and dead and live rats – including nests of baby rats – in, on and near food products throughout the store.

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TDH reports that more than 160 rats have been caught or killed in the facility since 28 January.


Last week TDH detained all of the company’s products, and Texas Commissioner of Health Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., today signed an emergency order closing the facility. TDH food safety inspectors have cited 95 violations of food safety laws and regulations.


ABC Market Place is located at 2206 South Collins in Arlington. The company processes and sells food to the public and to restaurants and other retailers from the South Collins Street location.


Anyone who has recently purchased produce or other perishable foods from ABC or foods with packaging holes, rat droppings or an unusual odour should not eat those foods, TDH officials said.

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The TDH emergency order temporarily closes the facility pending an administrative hearing scheduled for 13 March.


TDH’s manufactured foods division licenses and inspects some 14,500 food manufacturers, food wholesalers and water vendors throughout Texas.

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