FDA 483 - Hawks Nuts Inc - September 11, 2025

On September 11, 2025, Hawks Nuts Inc. underwent a food safety inspection conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, acting as an FDA contract inspection. The inspection identified several critical issues, necessitating corrective actions to comply with Chapter 500, Florida Statutes, Rule 5K-4, Florida Administrative Code, and 21 CFR 117.

Key violations included a failure to conduct a comprehensive hazard analysis for their Frozen Cajun Boiled Peanuts. Specifically, the company did not identify significant hazards like metal inclusion and undeclared allergens, and lacked proper written preventive control procedures, monitoring, and verification records. Additionally, there was no written supply chain program to control hazards such as aflatoxins, mycotoxins, and heavy metals in raw peanuts and imported spices. Facility issues included storing 55-gallon drums outside that could attract pests (a repeat observation), a production room floor in disrepair with cracks and standing water, and inadequate pest control measures such as an open warehouse door. Equipment also presented concerns, with chipped metal knobs (corrected on site) and rough welds in cooling bins. Hawks Nuts Inc. is required to rectify all identified violations to ensure full regulatory compliance and maintain product safety standards.