News

Listeria-plagued sauce, salad producer ordered to stop selling products

December 18, 2018

A federal judge has ordered Michigan-based prepared salad, dip and sauce producer, Saranac Brand Foods, to stop selling food products until the company complies with federal regulations and other requirements, according to a U.S. FDA news release. This action follows several FDA and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspections that uncovered the potentially deadly Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) in the Saranac's food preparation area.

U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Michigan Paul L. Maloney entered a consent decree of permanent injunction between the U.S., Saranac Brand Foods and its co-owners, Dennis M. Nowak and Daniel R. Nowak. The company made 35 different ready-to-eat foods, including prepared salads, dips and sauces.

The consent decree prohibits the defendants from "receiving, preparing, processing, packing, holding, labeling and/or distributing foods at or from their facility, or any other facility," until certain requirements are met. Saranac told the court they discontinued food operations in August and intend to dissolve the company. However, if they resume operations, they must now tell the FDA and take corrective actions first. 

"The FDA and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have documented a pattern of food safety violations at this facility. The inappropriate and unsafe practices of Saranac Brand Foods. not only violated the law, but also put consumers in harm's way," FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Melinda Plaisier said in the release. "This type of behavior is unacceptable to the FDA and is why we took action to prevent the defendants from introducing contaminated or potentially contaminated food products into the marketplace."

The U.S. Department of Justice-filed complaint on behalf of the FDA, said federal and state officials found L. mono in the facility during three 2012 inspections as well as unsanitary conditions that violate federal law. L. mono can cause listeriosis, a potentially life-threatening illness. 

In August 2016, FDA sent a warning letter to Saranac, followed in November 2017 by issuance of a list of observations that identified insanitary conditions observed during a follow-up inspection. FDA spokesperson Peter Cassell told this website that Saranac ceased operations in August and the FDA is noto aware of any illnesses associated with their products.