Issues With Processing Plant May Be Culprit Of Listeria Outbreak
May 17, 2016 
Photo courtesy of FoodSafety.gov.
A Listeria outbreak linked to products manufactured at CRF Frozen Foods has prompted a voluntary recall of hundreds of frozen fruits and vegetable products in recent weeks.
The recalls affect products manufactured at CRF’s Pasco, WA, processing plant since May 1, 2014 with Best By dates between April 26, 2016 and April 26, 2018,according to an article in Fortune.
FDA inspected CRF in March 2016 and found several areas of concern. The agency noted “materials and workmanship of equipment and utensils does not allow proper cleaning and maintenance.”
Specifically, FDA noted “a white, plastic shovel with chips and cracks near the scoop end. This shovel was stored near the production line and is used for food contact.”
In addition, cracked, chipped, and missing pieces of plastic on the onion production line also were noted.
A CRF spokesperson said there was not proof that what was uncovered in the report can be linked to the Listeria outbreak, according to the Fortune article.
“There’s even a question that the outbreak itself was linked to CRF,” the spokesperson told Fortune.
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