Food safety starts before your groceries even make it into your shopping cart. Shopping at a supermarket that follows food safety protocols is essential to preparing and eating safe foods at home. Fortunately, food safety is not a mystery, and signs of a lack of attention to health guidelines should be pretty obvious at any supermarket that fails to follow safety recommendations.

“Since most of us shop at one or two grocery stores, cleanliness should be immediately noticeable when you walk into the store,” says Sue A. James, MS, RDN, LDN. “The floors are sparkling and there are no unpleasant odors. That’s a sign that a store is following food safety regulations.”

Here’s how to determine if your local grocery store follows basic food safety guidelines.

Obvious signs of dirt

Sometimes we want to ignore what’s right in front of us because of cost, convenience, or both, but visible dirt and dust on the floors and shelves of a grocery store is a cause for concern. James suggests looking for cockroaches, flies, and foul or unusual odors that indicate something is off in terms of cleanliness and food safety. A clean entryway and empty shopping carts are good signs that cleanliness is a priority, James says.

An unkempt toilet

A dirty restroom in a food service establishment is a big red flag. If this oft-used personal resource is overlooked, what else has gone unnoticed? If the restroom is an indicator of the standard of cleanliness in the rest of the establishment, do you really want to eat from the hot counter?

Products that are not fresh

A store that focuses on the best in safety will ensure that expired produce is not mixed in with the good. “Produce should be firm and crisp,” says James. “It should not be discolored. It can also have a sweet smell and is stored in working refrigerators and coolers.” Mold, flies, insect holes and strange smells can indicate poor food safety in the produce department. Produce with cuts or damage should not be displayed for sale because “this could harbor bacteria,” James emphasizes.

Defective freezers

“I always check to see if the freezer door is ajar or missing,” says James. “If the doors don’t close properly, warm air can get in and the food can’t maintain its temperature.” Tightly sealed freezer doors are essential for the safety of frozen food. In the freezer, food should feel firm, not soft.

Sweating items in the refrigerated counters

“If products are sweating in the fridge, the temperature may not be right,” says James. Loose doors also indicate temperature problems. If you see condensation on fridge or freezer products at the supermarket, skip it.

Unorganized shelves

Supermarkets are mostly made up of shelves, and those shelves should be clean and tidy to ensure food safety. “I make sure the shelves are free of dust and dirt. I make sure the stores I shop in are clean and the shelves are not overcrowded,” says James. Seeing staff cleaning or wiping down the shelves and rotating the products can be a nice affirmation.

“Also pay attention to the expiration dates of products on the shelf,” notes James. “If there are a lot of items that are past their expiration date, it means the store is not rotating inventory. That’s a potential food safety issue.”

If in doubt, ask the staff

If you shop at the same stores regularly and have questions or concerns about the cleanliness and safety of the food, it’s a good idea to befriend the grocery vendors in your neighborhood for both social and practical reasons. “Staff can provide insight into which days of the week the fresh produce is delivered,” says James. “If the store sells local produce, they can tell you which farms they source the produce from. They can give you valuable advice on the best days and ways to get the freshest produce for you and your family.”

Knowing staff practices can also be extremely helpful. Do people wear gloves when handling fresh food? Are hair nets worn when preparing food? Are uniforms clean? Visual cues are extremely important in assessing food safety.