Reuters reports that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains that poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride knew that listeria bacteria was present at its Pennsylvania plant months before its products were blamed for killing eight people last summer.
Pilgrim’s Pride recalled 27.4 million pounds of ready-to-eat turkey and chicken products last October after its plant tested positive for listeria.
According to Reuters, Pilgrim’s Pride did not tell the USDA about the listeria problem because regulations did not require it. However, USDA now is requiring greater levels of listeria testing.
Pilgrim’s Pride recalled 27.4 million pounds of ready-to-eat turkey and chicken products last October after its plant tested positive for listeria.
According to Reuters, Pilgrim’s Pride did not tell the USDA about the listeria problem because regulations did not require it. However, USDA now is requiring greater levels of listeria testing.
- KC's View:
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These are the kinds of stories that add credibility to the undercurrent of consumer concern about issues of food safety. While one hopes that these are isolated instances, consumers won’t always get that message.
They’ll just see irresponsibility, and eight dead people.
