FDA EIR - Taylor Farms Northwest, LLC - August 08, 2016

An FDA inspection of Taylor Farms Northwest, Inc. in Kent, WA, conducted from July 26 to August 8, 2016, revealed multiple significant violations related to food safety and sanitation. The inspection, carried out under the Domestic Food Safety Program and relevant Good Manufacturing Practices (21 CFR 110), identified failures in maintaining sanitary conditions for ready-to-eat food production. Primary issues included inadequate cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, utensils, and food containers, with visible residues found on items designated as clean. Employees were observed not maintaining proper hygiene, handling non-food contact surfaces and then food without changing gloves or washing hands. Furthermore, cleaned and sanitized portable equipment was improperly stored, allowing for potential contamination and water pooling. Environmental samples collected during the inspection detected Listeria welshimeri. This inspection follows a 2015 FDA visit that found Listeria monocytogenes and other sanitation deficiencies. In response, company management committed to reviewing and revising Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures, providing remedial employee training on hand hygiene and glove changes, installing hands-free sanitizer dispensers, and implementing better practices for equipment storage and facility maintenance. A formal written response outlining these corrective actions was expected by the FDA.