Feds Seize Adulterated RTE Seafood in California

WASHINGTONU.S. marshals acting on behalf of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized adulterated seafood products from California-based Meiko Food Co. on Aug. 24.

The federal complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleges, Meiko Food manufactures and packages ready-to-eat seafood, including cooked seafood balls and fried fish cakes, without having a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan in place, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

FDA issued a warning letter to Meiko Food on Nov. 3, 2010, for not having a HACCP plan in place. A subsequent FDA inspection conducted between April and May 2011 revealed the company did not take corrective actions.

Meiko Foods cannot continue to ignore FDA warnings," said Dara A. Corrigan, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "A HACCP plan is an important tool ensuring that a company is taking proactive steps to protect the public's health and reduce foodborne outbreaks. By taking this action today, FDA is demonstrating its commitment to making sure that food producers are protecting the public health from the dangers of adulterated food products."