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Results of Texas food plant samples to be declared next week
by Anter Prakash Singh - October 23, 2010 - comments
SanGar Food Processing Company in Texas has claimed that it has maintained highest standards of quality but the Texas Health Department stands by its analysis and now, everybody is waiting for the FDA to come out with its findings on the samples taken from the company's plant.
The results of samples taken from SanGar Produce and Processing Company are expected to come anytime next week. Meanwhile, the Texas Food Processing Company was closed down by the state health authorities after the contaminated celery from the plant was suspected to be behind the recent deaths of four persons.
Sherry McGarry, from the Federal Drug Authority said that the results of the samples would come soon but she refused to give a specific date.
The company is expecting the result to be declared by Friday. SanGar has also hired an independent lab to test its products in a bid to prove that the Texas Health Department has erroneously traced listeria to their processing plant.
Listeria cases tracked to the product of company’s plant
The State health officials blame the celery processed at the SanGar plant in six out of the ten cases of Listeriousis in the last eight months. The agency is also investigating the other four cases.
The State Health Department is trying to find out the purchasers of the product and also if the product was sold outside Texas. It says the product which includes lettuce, pineapple and honey dew, was mainly sold to schools, hospitals and restaurants.
Since then, the State Health Department officials have closed the processing plant of the company and ordered it to recall all the products produced in the plant since last January.
Company refutes all charges
Company’s owner, Kenneth Sanquest Jr., told the media that they have always maintained highest standard of quality.
Jason Galvan, an attorney for the company, questioned the presence of any link or evidence and the reason behind the state authorities not producing it.
Galvan said that the samples taken from the same batch of Oct. 11 by an independent testing lab have tested negative for Listeria. He stressed that the company always conducted weekly independent testing of its plants which have never resulted positive for Listeria.
The company accused the State Health Department officials of using incorrect methods for collecting samples. The company provided a surveillance video in which a State Health Department worker is claimed to be improperly dressed and touching surfaces. The company said that the worker could have contaminated the samples.
Carrie Williams, spokeswomen for the Texas Health Department said that she has not received the video but she has seen it on television and the company is wasting its time in providing meaningless material.
Williams even said that her department stands by their analysis and lab results.
Health inspectors have found lack of sanitation at the plant, for instance, a leak in the condensation over the area for food production.
The State Health Department is trying to find out the purchasers of the product and also if the product was sold outside Texas. It said, the product which includes lettuce, pineapple and honey dew, was mainly sold to schools, hospitals and restaurants.