An acidified food manufacturing facility in Hamptonville, NC, and a ready-to eat seafood and deli salad maker in Hamtramck, MI, received warning letters in April from the U.S.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA’ s Atlanta District sent a warning letter to The Dutch Kettle on April 15, telling the acidified food manufacturer that based on an Aug. 13-17, 2015, inspection, the agency found the acidified foods being produced by the North Carolina business to be adulterated.
Acidified food regulations require commercial processes to comply with provisions concerning conditions for heat processing, and control of pH, salt, sugar and preservative levels for each acidified food product.

The Dutch Kettle, according to FDA, failed to file schedule processes with the agency as required for certain potato and pumpkin butter. During the inspection, the company said it had filed for pumpkin butter, but FDA could not find the required information in its database.

FDA also expressed concerns about specific products and lots. It also questioned the accuracy of measuring instruments used by The Dutch Kettle to “control or prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms.”

The warning letter to The Dutch Kettle also expressed concerns about misbranding. The letter demanded a response to all the issues within 15 working days.

On April 26, FDA sent a warning letter to Home Style Foods Inc. because environmental samples taken inside the facility returned positive results for Listeria welshimeri and Listeria innocua. The two Listeria strains were found in the production room.

The Michigan company responded to FDA’s inspection observations for the Sept. 15 through Oct. 19, 2015, inspection on Nov. 2, 2015, but the agency said that response lacked sufficient information about the adequacy of corrective actions taken to correct violations that were found.

Four of 63 environmental samples returned positive results. The floor drain in the production room was a source of Listeria positives. The warning letter says owners are failing to maintain buildings, fixtures and other physical facilities for Home Style Foods Inc.

The company was also found in violation of seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans. It was also given 15 days to respond to the FDA warning letter.