While Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams prepares to reopen its scoop shops this weekend, newly released federal investigation reports show the Ohio-based company’s issues date back several years before its public battle with listeria contamination.
The Associated Press reports that a recent Food and Drug Administration investigation found Jeni’s relied on inadequate testing and cleaning procedures at its Columbus plant prior to its listeria outbreak last month.
The 2015 report, which was released as part of a Freedom of Information request by the AP, show Jeni’s did not prescribe to a sufficient testing program and failed to acceptably sanitize surfaces at the plant.
According to the report, staff responsible for assuring compliance with government food safety standards showed a “lack of competency” by failing to adhere to guidelines.
An additional report based on a 2008 inspection found many of the same issues, the AP reports.
Additionally, investigators at that time found evidence of the presence of rodents and insects, as well as inadequate personal cleanliness of workers. Those problems were not found in the most recent report.
Since recalling all of its products last month and closing its ice cream stores, Jeni’s has reworked production to prevent future contamination.
The company previously identified the source of the listeria contamination at its production kitchen to a single pint-filling machine.
Since finding the issue, Jeni’s has turned its focus to creating a production kitchen with the best defenses against any contamination. To do so, the company has enlisted top food safety experts and plans to invest more than $200,000 into the kitchen transformation.
FDA probe of Jeni’s plant finds inadequate testing, cleaning [The Associated Press]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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