Dole Facing Government Investigations over Listeria Outbreak
Following a Listeria outbreak allegedly linked to a Dole Food Co. salad
manufacturing plant, the company is reportedly facing investigations by
the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). Several media outlets have reported that an FDA investigation
obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request found Dole knew
of nine positive tests for Listeria at the plant taken as early as July 2014,
more than a year before the company closed the plant. See The Wall
Street Journal, April 29, 2016.
In response, Dole issued an April 29 statement expressing concerns
“about the recent stories in some publications about the FDA’s observation
reports. Those FDA reports deal with issues at our plant that we
have corrected. We have been working in collaboration with the FDA and
other authorities to implement ongoing improved testing, sanitation and
procedure enhancements, which have resulted in the recent reopening
of our Springfield salad plant,” the statement says. The company further
states, “Dole has recently been contacted by the Department of Justice in
connection with its own investigation, and we will be similarly cooperating
with the DOJ to answer questions and address any concerns.”
Details about a consumer lawsuit alleging consumption of the salad
product caused one person to become comatose appear in Issue 597 of
this Update.
Issue 603
