FDA Warning Letters: Food Made Under Unsanitary Conditions

In its latest round of warning letters to food processors, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent letters to three food processors who were found to be producing without proper food safety plans and therefore producing under insanitary conditions.  Los Angeles-based International Marine Products, Inc. was found to not have hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plans for its canned crabmeat and marinated anchovy fillets. By the FDA’s definition, those products were considered to be made under insanitary conditions.  The FDA found Old Mill Bread Company of Seattle had serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations. Specifically, the company failed to effectively control for pests in processing areas.  Inspectors at Old Mill Bread’s facilities found two insects crawling inside the dough sheeter as it was in use. They also found 72 dead and live insects inside a dough mixer bowl not in use, and at least eight dead insects in flour on the floor adjacent to the dough mixer.  The company was also cited for a number of other failures, including failure to maintain equipment in a manner that protected against contamination.  Finally, Fitkin Popcorn or Cedar Falls, IA, was also found to be violating the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for also not taking effective measures to exclude pests from the facility.  An inspection of the company in September found a number of pest problems, including rodent and bat droppings on the floor in the room where popcorn bags were stored. The firm also failed to provide hand-washing facilities in the area where popcorn was sifted, cleaned and packaged into those bags.  Each company was given 15 days to respond to the concerns raised by FDA in the warning letters.