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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered shutdowns of several operations that produce seafood and one that makes cream cheese.
On May 16, 2008, FDA directed Hope Food Supply Inc. in Pasadena, Texas, to shut down and immediately recall all products manufactured from its Texas facility since 2007. The company's products have been distributed nationwide.
The company, under a different name, had manufactured dried smoked catfish steaks and other smoked seafood products. The firm cannot restart manufacturing until it has implemented an FDA-approved plan that identifies safety hazards for its fish and fishery products, and sets forth preventive measures to control those hazards.
Without adequate controls, Hope Food Supply's seafood products could harbor dangerous bacteria that can cause serious illness.
On May 15, 2008, FDA announced that Lifeway Foods Inc. and its subsidiary, LFI Enterprises Inc., both Illinois companies, are shut down until they are found compliant with food safety laws. A consent decree of permanent injunction halts cream cheese and seafood processing in facilities in Skokie, Ill., and Philadelphia, Pa.
The companies processed and distributed seafood without adequate plans to ensure safe and sanitary processing, and distributed cream cheese products with inadequate labels. This includes labels that did not list major food allergens.
Under the consent decree, operations may resume only after FDA determines that the companies have come into full compliance will all food safety requirements. The decree does not include other products manufactured by Lifeway including kefir, Farmers cheese, and spreadable cheese products.
On June 6, 2008, FDA filed a complaint for permanent injunction against seafood processor Captain's Select Seafood, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., and two of its top officers for violating the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Captain's Select Seafood makes a variety of fish and fishery products. FDA's enforcement action follows the company's extensive history of violating the FD&C Act and the agency's Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations. FDA's HAACP regulations require that all seafood processors develop and implement adequate plans that identify all food safety hazards and that contain preventative measures to control those hazards. Without adequate controls, products made by Captain's Select Seafood could harbor bacteria that cause serious illnesses.
FDA Toll-Free Food Safety Hotline
1-888-SAFEFOOD
FDA Takes Action Against Seafood Processing Company, Executives
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01846.html
FDA Shuts Down Seafood Processing Company, Requires Products Be Recalled
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01836.html
FDA Takes Action Against Cream Cheese Companies, Executives
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01835.html
Date Posted: May 28, 2008
Updated: June 11, 2008
