Latest Salmonella Scare
Every few months we hear news of another salmonella outbreak. And each time it happens we wonder how and why it happened. But this time, how and why it happened isn’t a mystery.
In case you haven’t heard, here’s what happened.
The guilty party is a company called Basic Food Flavors. It manufacturers a powder and paste form of flavor enhancer called hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP for short. HVP is used to flavor all kinds of processed foods including soups, dips, spreads, seasonings, stuffing, gravy mixes, dressing, frozen foods, prepared salads, potato chips and more. So far 159 products have been recalled and that number is expected to grow.
The company’s response was shocking
That’s pretty bad so far, but what I find even more troubling about this latest salmonella scare is the way the company responded. Even though the company’s own testing revealed positive results for salmonella contamination, company officials did nothing to address the problem. They acted as if they never got news that the place needed a good scrub down and continues business as usual.
According to 14 FDA inspections carried out over two weeks at the company’s Las Vegas facility, you didn’t need test results to know it was time for a deep clean. All you had to do was look around. That’s what FDA officials did. And when they did they observed unsanitary conditions perfect for breeding bacteria.
They saw brown residue covering tubing and mixers. They noted the presence of dirty equipment and utensils. They saw standing water and an unidentifiable dark colored liquid on floors and in one drain, which also had an odor coming from it. They noted even more, but I think you get the picture.
There’s no excuse
When you’re in the food business you don’t need an MBA to know that cleanliness is a top priority. And that makes me wonder how a company as huge as this, with clients throughout the nation and whose products are consumed or added into other food products, could continue operating knowing the place was so filthy.
Not only did the company express a total disregard for the health and safety of its customers, it knowingly broke the law by shipping products it knew had been contaminated with salmonella. And it’s believed salmonella contamination existed as far back as September.
Even though the health risks in this case are believed low, that doesn’t excuse the company’s blatant disregard of the law or their irresponsibility. Hopefully the FDA imposes the strictest punishment possible, if for no other reason than to set an example that behavior like this won’t be tolerated.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever and the problems usually go away on their own. However, people with compromised immune systems including children and the elderly are at higher risk.
Rather than wait for news of the next salmonella contamination, maybe I’ll start growing my own food. That way I’ll know exactly when, where and how it was prepared!
What about you?
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