Listeria Contamination at Kellogg's Plant
Kellogg Company has 15 days to respond to an FDA Warning Letter about a persistent strain of Listeria monocytogenes in its cookie plant in Augusta, Georgia. The June 7 letter was obtained by Listeria attorneys at national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., who represent victims of food poisoning.
No recalls were announced and no illnesses reported, but the warning letter called foods manufactured at the facility "adulterated.'' Here's a snippet from the actual letter:
"The presence of a persistent strain of L. monocytogenes in your facility between January 2010 and February 2011 is significant in that it demonstrates that your cleaning and sanitation efforts were inadequate to remove this organism. We note that although your finished product cookies may not support the growth of L. monocytogenes, the positive environmental swabs are indicators of insanitary conditions in your facility and demonstrate a failure of cleaning and sanitation operations that may allow for contamination of foods with filth or pathogens.''
FDA inspectors found 15 positive swabs for Listeria, seven of those from food surfaces including a spiral cooler. Listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures and is an extreme danger to pregnant women, causing stillbirth and miscarriage. PritzkerOlsen has represented couples whose babies have been lost during pregnancy due to Listeria contamination from food, including couples who took great care with fertility doctors to start a pregnancy in the first place.
Listeria can infect healthy adults, but is a greater risk to children, the elderly and others who have weakened or underdeveloped immune systems. If you or a loved one has been sickened by Listeria in a outbreak of Listeriosis, contact an attorney at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or send your contact information. Case consultations are free and an attorney will explain how the process works when pursuing a claim or filing a Listeria lawsuit.
