The former chief operating officer of a rural Michigan farmers’ cooperative has been charged with one felony count of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce. According to a story published Thursday in the Huron Daily Tribune, JoAnn Rutkowski of the former Thumb Oilseed Producers Cooperative in Ubly, MI, was indicted for causing the introduction of soy flour containing Salmonella into interstate commerce between December 2010 and January 2011, and that she did so “with the intent to defraud and mislead.” Rutkowski pleaded not guilty March 11 before a federal magistrate in Bay City, MI, and is scheduled to go to trial in U.S. District Court there on July 8. If convicted, she could spend a maximum of three years in prison and pay a $10,000 fine. The cooperative of 180 members in 10 Michigan counties produced and sold soy flour, soy grits and refined soy oil. After two FDA recalls of its products (in February 2010 and October 2011) for potential Salmonella and a subsequent $7-million lawsuit from a food manufacturer, the cooperative filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2012.
The News Desk team at Food Safety News covers breaking developments, regulatory updates, recalls, and key topics shaping food safety today. These articles are produced collaboratively by our editorial staff.
As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or
Cryptosporidium has been removed from a list of communicable diseases subject to epidemiological surveillance in Europe.
According to the European Commission, Cryptosporidiosis is a common but predominantly mild gastrointestinal infection
Two foodborne botulism cases have been identified in an area of Switzerland.
The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) has issued a recall for a product sold at local
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for canned chicken Vienna-style sausages that were illegally imported from Jamaica, a country that
Health representatives from the Americas have approved an updated strategy to improve food safety systems and reduce foodborne diseases.
Foodborne infections cause about 78,000 deaths in the region each
Stewart’s Shops Corp. of Saratoga Springs, NY is recalling two flavors, Heavenly Medley and Vanilla-Chocolate-Strawberry, of half-gallon ice cream because of the potential presence of metal.
