Food Safety Case Study: Poultry
In October 2001, an outbreak of listeria bacteria that killed eight people was traced to Pilgrim’s Pride read-to-eat Wampler brand poultry products.
According to a federal meat inspector who worked the night shift at the plant, Pilgrim’s Pride was aware for months before the outbreak that its plant harbored “exceedingly high” levels of the deadly listeria bacteria.
Routine tests for the pathogen showed high levels of listeria in July and August. The company did not report the information to any health authorities; they were not required to do so.
The inspector, Vincent Erthal, was quoted as saying “The plant knew they had a problem. They dragged their feet."
In a 2004 report, the Consumer Federation of America said that the Bush Administration, which brought meat industry veterans into several high level USDA positions, shifted control of listeria regulation from the federal government to the regulated industries themselves, first delaying and then revising new listeria regulations in ways that reflected industry positions.
The owner of Pilgrim’s Pride, Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim, was a contributor fundraiser for the president in several campaigns.
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Sources
Pilgrim's Pride Knew of Listeria. the Meat Industry Internet News Service. December 13, 2002, accessed July 29, 2010
Tucker Foreman, C, Waldrop, C, and Eskin, S. 2004. Not “Ready-To-Eat,” How the Meat and Poutlry Industry Weakened Efforts to Reduce Listeria Food-Poisoning (pdf). The Consumer Federation of America. December 2004. July 29, 2010
Letters from FDA to Pilgrim’s Pride CEO Lonnie Pilgrim, http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2001/ucm178225.htm, http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2004/ucm146364.htm
