United States: The FDA which has somehow uncovered serious food safety violations at Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility, tied to last year’s deadly E. coli outbreak that sickened over 100 people. The inspection report reveals unsanitary equipment and poor handling practices, raising new concerns over food safety in fast-food supply chains.
They said: “Production employees who handle RTE produce, and food contact surfaces were not observed using any of the identified handwashing sinks in the facility.”
Because of the inspection, the FDA gave Taylor Farms a Form 483 with observations that inspectors said were “injurious to health.”
Some of the observation made included workers neglecting soiled hand washing procedures and not thoroughly drying utensils to be used in washing vegetables, fruits, and other produce, thereby exposing the produce to dangerous cleaning solutions. The inspectors also noted the improper storage of chemical mixtures which are used for sanitation; some containing concentrations above the maximum recommended levels or lacking standard permits to use.
As reported by the HealthDay, before the outbreak, onions were sourced from Taylor Farms which markets its products as “prep-less kitchen solutions for various restaurants across different states including California. After the probe, the company pulled thousands of cases of ready-to-eat onions, which were delivered to food service facilities in six states.
A company statement on the matter from Taylor Farms said it had “acted promptly to respond” to the FDA’s observations and added that the company had received the inspection without being subjected to administrative or regulatory measures.
“This is in concordance with the fact that no disease or public health risk has been associated with these observations,” the company said.
As it became clear that the products inspected on Monday were produced before McDonald’s stopped ordering them from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs processing plant in May, the fast-food giant underlined its concern with food safety. “In relation to our suppliers, we have set high standards and requirements for food safety,” the company noted in its press statement.
“Before this inspection and irrespective of the revelations of this inspection, McDonald’s ceased sourcing products from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs.
Altogether 104 people in 14 states got ill and 34 were hospitalised during the outbreak and one elder man in Colorado died the FDA stated in the previous health update. The probable cause of adulteration was identified as raw, slivered onions place on the famous burgers.
