A shopkeeper has pleaded guilty to more than 30 food standards breaches after inspectors found mould and insects in food at his supermarket in Adelaide's north.

Mohammad Yunous Sharafat, 34, was charged with 54 offences following routine inspections of his Star Supermarket on Prospect Road at Kilburn by health officers from the Port Adelaide Enfield Council.

The inspections at the premises, which also includes a halal butcher, took place between October 2016 and January 2017.

The prosecution agreed to withdraw some of the charges on Mr Sharafat entering guilty pleas to 35 offences, including multiple counts of selling food past its use-by date.

He also conceded charges of failing to separate and clearly identify food held for disposal, failing to properly label products for sale, failing to store food in a way to protect it from contamination and failing to maintain cleanliness of fixtures and equipment.

Insects were found in packets of dates and flour in the supermarket's cool room along with packaged bread, dried fruit and fish with visible mould.

Whitebait fish had turned green with mould. ( Supplied: SA Courts )

Large raw meat carcasses were left uncovered on wooden pallets in a cool room with fresh produce and other food stored in close proximity.

Inspectors also found out-of-date dairy products, some of which had been expired for up to seven months.

During a hearing on Tuesday, the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court heard it was not the first time Mr Sharafat had been charged over failing to comply with food safety regulations.

"He was pinged for selling products that were out of date in 2014," prosecutor Paul Kelly said.

"He hasn't looked at clause 80 [of the Food Standards Code], it sets it out clearly what has to be done in relation to the products. He was told that years ago, he didn't do it.

"You can't be warned so many times and then stand before the court and say 'I was overwhelmed because of the business'."

Insects were found inside these dried fruit products. ( Supplied: SA Courts )

Mr Kelly accused Mr Sharafat of deliberately cutting corners to make more money.

"He made a decision not to employ someone to [keep on top of expiration dates] because he potentially knows exactly what he is doing," he said.

"A lot of these actions are for commercial gain, taking a bulk product and splitting it up into bits is for the purpose of extra commercial gain."

Magistrate warns of 'very hefty' penalties

These dairy products at the Star Supermarket were almost six months out of date. ( Supplied: SA Courts )

Mr Sharafat's lawyer Michael Bayne said the supermarket was his client's livelihood and he worked there "eight days a week" to provide for his family.

"He realises now and has realised since these matters came before the court the true seriousness of failings of the regulatory scheme," he said.

"He has put forward endeavours to correct the issues.

"[He] is working towards ensuring that in the future those issues do not become apparent again so that he doesn't come back before the court and so that he doesn't put any member of the public at risk."

The court heard Mr Sharafat had installed a product management database to better keep track of expiry dates and was in the process of implementing a labelling system for products that he packages himself from bulk buys.

Magistrate Bob Harrap adjourned sentencing until next month, telling Mr Sharafat he needed time to assess the case given the possibility of "very hefty" penalties being imposed.