Saranac Brand Foods, a Saranac-based food processing company – where safety inspectors found unsanitary conditions, including listeria bacteria – is shutting down after federal attorneys requested that the company cease operations until it complies with food safety rules, according to court documents filed Thursday.
The filing came on the same day as attorneys representing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services filed a complaint in federal court in Grand Rapids asking a judge to grant a permanent injunction prohibiting the company from operating until it fixed its compliance issues.
The complaint documented numerous issues discovered by food safety inspectors during a Nov. 29, 2017 inspection at the facility, including the presence of listeria bacteria, which can cause fever and diarrhea. It also stated that inspectors witnessed employees spaying off a soiled food cart, causing “spray to be deflected onto an uncovered food car containing coleslaw,” as well as employees failing to wash their hands before handling food and food-contact equipment.
The company, under its legal filing, agreed to a consent decree under which it cannot again operate at its facility until it develops a listeria monitoring program, creates a food safety employee training program, and meets other training and safety requirements.
Listeria: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clarkhave represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $650 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as deli meat, cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.
If you or a family member became ill with a Listeriainfection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.