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March 31, 2008 |
| Plant Linked to Chili Outbreak Closes Again |
| FDA has suspended Georgia company's temporary emergency permit |
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Castleberry's Food Co. has closed its plant in Augusta, Ga., again, about eight months after the recall of tainted meat that allegedly caused the botulism poisoning of four people who ate its canned chili. |
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Consumers in Indiana and Texas came down with the illness, prompting a recall that cost food processor Connors Bros. Income Fund (Markham, Canada)-Castleberry's parent company-about $35 million, according to news reports from July 2007, when the shutdown initially occurred.
The current plant shutdown is the result of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) withholding inspections there until issues with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are resolved, says Stephanie Kwisnek, an FDA spokeswoman.
"During a follow-up inspection of the processing lines, the FDA found that the machinery was not being operated in a manner as required, raising the possibility that some cans processed on these lines could be unsafe," she adds.
Earlier this month, the FDA sent the company a letter suspending its temporary emergency permit. "The firm can reapply for the permit and must show that it has taken corrective steps to fix the problems," Kwisnek says.
She adds that the FDA issued the emergency temporary permit in September, allowing the company "to manufacture and ship products into interstate commerce that were processed on lines not associated with the previously recalled product."
According to Kwisnek, the recent action by the FDA is a result of the agency's commitment to "live up to the challenge of protecting every consumer using the enforcement tools at hand."
Connors Bros. declined to release details of the shutdown, other than to say in a press release that "this is not a health and safety issue and does not involve any product recall."
The company also says in its statement that it expects the issues "to be resolved promptly" and that the plant should be able to begin production in a few weeks. It adds that Castleberry's is cooperating with the FDA and USDA to answer any questions and "address any possible concerns regarding the operations of this factory."
Both Connors Bros. and Castleberry's, which make up the biggest North American seafood company, sell canned tuna, salmon, and sardines marketed under the names Clover Leaf, Bumble Bee, Brunswick, Snow's, and Beach Cliff, as well as a line of canned chicken and meat products sold in the United States. |
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