U.S. Food Warned For Safety Violations, Salmonella-Laced Imports

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning letters to US food companies for failing to abide by safety processes, good manufacturing practices, and for accepting imported food laced with Salmonella, FOOD Safety News (FSN) reported.

Photo Insert: Aroma Imports, Inc. of Dearborn Heights, Michigan was placed on notice after FDA analyzed a sample collected from one shipment and detected Salmonella.

Aroma Imports, Inc. of Dearborn Heights, Michigan was placed on notice after FDA analyzed a sample collected from one shipment and detected Salmonella.

In a Dec. 23, 2021 warning, FDA described an Aug. 5-26, 2021, Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) inspection of Aroma Imports Inc. in Dearborn Heights, MI. The FDA’s inspection revealed that the firm was not in compliance with FSVP regulations and resulted in the issuance of an FDA Form 483a.

International Golden Foods, Inc. of Bensenville, Illinois was also put on notice by FDA for serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation.

In a Dec. 15, 2021, warning letter, the FDA described inspections from June 29 to July 20, 2021, of the firm’s ready-to-eat (RTE) food facility in Bensenville. The FDA’s inspection revealed that the firm was not in compliance with FDA regulations and resulted in the issuance of an FDA Form 483. The firm did not prepare, or have prepared, and did not implement a food safety plan.

FDA also warned Tropic Trading Co. of California for not having a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) inspection for a number of imported food products. In a Dec. 6 warning letter, the FDA described an Aug. 11 and 13, 2021, FSVP inspection of Tropic Trading Co. in Pauma Valley, California.

The FDA’s inspection revealed that the firm was not in compliance with FSVP regulations and resulted in the issuance of an FDA Form 483a.

The firm did not develop, maintain, and follow an FSVP for any of the foods they import, including the following foods: Fresh durian; fresh longan fruit, and; fresh rambutan. The FSVP requires importers to verify that their foreign suppliers of food meet applicable FDA safety standards.

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