Listeria, Roaches Prompt FDA Downgrade of Airline Catering Operation
Consumer expectations for airline food are admittedly low, but this is sickening.
The Food and Drug Administration has downgraded the license of the LSG SkyChefs airline catering operation in Denver after finding infestations of cockroaches, rodent harborages, plumbing nozzles laying on the floor, pools of brown liquid under the garbage cans and cultures of Listeria monocytogenes in the food-making area.
According to a copy of a warning letter obtained by national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen, the FDA recently changed the caterer's classification from "Approved'' to "Provisional.'' SkyChefs has informed the FDA that it has made corrections, but if a reinspection doesn't go well next month, the facility could be deemed "Use Prohibited" or "Not Approved.'' In either case, airlines wouldn't be able to get their food from the location, the warning letter said.
The warning letter, dated December 10 and addressed to SkyChefs chief operating officer in Irving, Texas, said Listeria contamination was found in the Denver facilitiy's "hot kitchen'' from three swabs taken by FDA in its initial inspection. Listeria is a high-risk pathogen that can cause listeriosis infection, which is potentially deadly and can cause stillbirth and miscarriage in pregnant women.
Prepare to be disgusted by the following excerpts from the letter that detail some of the inspection results:
Our investigators observed numerous live roaches, dead roaches, and other insects, as well as food, and other debris, in various locations, including the following:
Cart wash area - Live and dead roach-like insects too numerous to count. Silverware station - At least 40 live roaches as well as other insects. The hot kitchen - At least eight dead and one live roach insects were observed in and around the walls of the hot kitchen. Repack area - Live roaches too numerous to count. Pots and pans warewashing room - At least four live and dead roaches, flies. Dish machine wash area - At least 13 dead roaches inside the machine loading area and 31 or more dead nearby the machine.
- Employees handling food with bare hands or with unwashed gloved hands.
- Water dripping from the ceiling into equipment/utensil cleaning areas.
- Gaps of up to 2.5 inches under garbage room doors, receiving dock doors, and outbound dock area doors.
- Standing brown liquid in the garbage room.
- Accumulation of debris in various areas such as in the ice pit, dairy cooler, dish machine area, and automatic cart wash area.
- Holes in wall surfaces, creating areas for insect and vermin harborage.
- Debris and standing liquid inside the automatic cart wash machine.
- Water hoses stored with nozzles resting on the floor.
- Click here to see a full copy of the warning letter.
