FDA Warns Whole Foods About Food Safety

Warning letter says the upscale grocer had failed to address a long list of food safety issues after an inspection at a plant that makes prepared foods.

June 16, 2016

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently sent a stern warning letter to Whole Foods Market, saying the upscale grocer had failed to address a long list of food safety issues the agency raised in February following an inspection at a Massachusetts plant that makes prepared foods for Whole Foods stores in the Northeast.

The New York Times reports that the FDA inspection uncovered several incidents of foods exposed to dripping condensation; inadequacies and failure in hand-washing practices; and soiled and improperly cleaned dishes and equipment. Although the FDA did not find pathogenic bacteria in the plant, one out of 100 swabs taken on surfaces that come into contact with food and other surfaces tested positive for nonpathogenic listeria.

Whole Foods says in a statement that it has addressed and corrected each of the issues identified by the FDA at its North Atlantic Kitchen, a facility that serves 74 stores in the North Atlantic and Northeast regions (Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Northern New Jersey). The company also says that the “thorough and tangible steps” it had taken to address each of the FDA’s findings were not reflected in the agency’s follow-up letter dated June 8. "We were honestly surprised,” said Ken Meyer, executive vice president of operations for Whole Foods Market. “We’ve been in close contact with the FDA, opened our doors to inspectors regularly since February and worked with them to address every issue brought to our attention.”

However, writes The New York Times, the response by Whole Foods was not enough, as the company did not provide photos, invoices, records of product destruction and other documentation that would demonstrate the necessary corrections.

The news source continues that prepared foods have become a large part of the grocery business “as harried consumers look for convenient ways to buy lunch and dinner.” Whole Foods has one of the biggest prepared foods operations among U.S. grocery chains.

Be on the lookout for the July “Foodservice” issue of NACS Magazine, which will focus on food safety within the convenience store channel. 

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