Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has sent another letter asking for more information on the Salmonella outbreak linked to recalled Rose Acre Farms shell eggs. An earlier letter was sent to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb on April 19, 2018.
That outbreak has caused at least 35 infections in 9 states and 11 hospitalizations since the last update last week. Rose Acre Farms has recalled more than 200,000,000 eggs in response to this Salmonella outbreak. This is the largest egg-related Salmonella outbreak in this country since 2010.
She wrote, “I continue to be concerned with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) investigation and response to the Salmonella Braenderup outbreak related to shell eggs produced by Rose Acre Farms. In my previous April 19 letter, I requested additional information about this investigation after FDA inspection reports revealed that the Agency was aware of serious food safety violations at Rose Acre Farms’ Hyde County facility weeks before a recall was initiated. Despite the scale of this outbreak, there are still many unanswered questions related to the recall and the investigation.”
The questions Rosa DeLauro has for the FDAD include: What is the current situation regarding egg production at the company’s Hyde County facility? Did the facility ever suspend operations? If so, what were those dates, and what role did the FDA play in that decision? What actions has FDA taken to resolve the unsanitary conditions?
Inspectors found live and dead rodents, rodent droppings, and unsanitary practices by workers at the Rose Acre Farms facility. In addition, food equipment had accumulated grime that persisted even after cleaning.
Rep. DeLauro also wants to know what assurances the FDA has that the facility will “not succumb to the same numerous violations that have been documented in previous inspection reports.” And she want sot know if the FDA has suspended other facilities across the country that are owned or operated by Rose Acre Farms.
