The FDA's Most Recent Warning Letters
By Sam Lewis
The latest collection of FDA warning letters for food producers includes five seafood processors, three dairy plants, an egg producing facility, and a processor of canned foods
Pennsylvania’s Hoke Farms and Michigan’s Double D Dairy found themselves on the receiving end of written warning notices from the FDA. Both companies were found to be using drugs for animal production in ways not in accordance with the prescription’s instructions. Another dairy facility, Utah’s Bliss Dairy, also received a warning letter for selling a cow to be slaughtered after its tissues were sampled and found to have above warranted levels of drugs flunixin and desfuroylceftiofur. Tissue samples from another cow at Bliss Dairy showed high levels of penicillin. The company was also cited for not having complete medical records of its animals and for prescription drug use on animals outside of the drug’s instructions.
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Switching industries, Puerto Rico-based egg producer Corporacion Avicola Morovis received an FDA warning letter for having “serious violations” regarding the prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis contamination on its egg shells. The company’s Salmonella prevention plan did not include many of the FDA’s required measures, according to the FDA. This includes platforms to prevent cross-contamination between chicken coops.
Another international firm which imports food to the U.S. also received a warning letter from the FDA. Italian canned food processor Franzese S.P.A. was found to have “serious deviations” from rules in connected to emergency permit controls and thermally processed low-acid foods.
Several seafood processors, both foreign and domestic, were given warnings regarding violations to seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations. New York’s K-Fat Inc. was told by the FDA to implement steps to guarantee its seafood imports were processed in accordance to regulations. Texas-based SSE Manufacturing was also asked by the FDA to implement HACCP plans for each seafood product processed its plant.
HACCP — The Effort Needed For Implementation
Internationally, Japan’s Sushi Den, India’s Accelerated Freeze Drying, and Ecuador’s Good Fish all collected a warning letter regarding the need to complete HACCP plans for types of seafood processed with the facilities.
Each warning letter requests companies to give written response that details the steps taken toward compliance with food safety regulations, and show how cited violations in the letters are being fixed and prevented in the future. Companies receiving letters have 15 working days from the letter’s reception to provide an outline of specific steps taken to become compliant with laws.