After finding deplorable conditions at the warehouse facility used by Happy Valley Food Inc. in Washington DC, the FDA obtained a warrant from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that was executed by U.S. Marshals Service.

In a statement published on the FDA We site, the agency stated: “The seizure action was initiated by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and FDA after FDA found extensive evidence of rodent infestation, rodent-defiled food, overcrowded storage conditions, and harborage areas for various pests throughout the firm’s warehouse facility during a recent inspection. The FDA inspection was conducted upon notification of insanitary conditions at the firm by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and with the cooperation and assistance of the District of Columbia’s Department of Health.”

The seizure involved “all FDA-regulated food susceptible to rodent and pest contamination. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they were held under insanitary conditions. Happy Valley Food, Inc. warehouses food and paper items for the restaurant industry including rice, Japanese bread crumbs, flour, corn starch, dried mushrooms, soy sauce, duck sauce, dried beans, and spices.”

This was not the first time a seizure action was brought against Happy Valley Food, Inc. In 1996, a similar seizure was made and the company was “issued a Warning Letter outlining unacceptable storage conditions in 2001. The agency also conducted inspections in 2003, 2005, and 2006. Despite these previous actions, the company has failed to adequately correct the violations.”

The FDA announced that it had initiated this action “to promote and protect the public health by enforcing the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. FDA’s mission includes ensuring the safety or safety and effectiveness of a broad spectrum of regulated products, including food, human and animal drugs, vaccines, blood products, medical devices, electronic products that emit radiation, and cosmetics.”

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 18th, 2006 at 6:45 am and is filed under Health Concerns, Legal News.