Food recalls and the FDA

Now, if this article about the recent foodborne illness outbreak traced to Nestle cookie dough doesn’t send a shiver down your spine, I don’t know what will.  The FDA, who is charged with protecting us food consumers through inspections, was denied access to records related to pest control and complaint logs by Nestle.  What causes the shivers for me is not that they denied them access, but this fact here:

FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek said the Glendale, Calif.-based unit of Switzerland-based Nestle SA had the right to do so (deny access).  “Companies have the right to make conditions on what they will or will not permit during an inspection," she said. "Some companies have a policy that they outline for the investigator at the beginning of an inspection."

Hmm.  So, we’ve got 69 people sick with EColi and Nestle gets to call the shots?  I guess they don’t really – I mean the FDA can go and get legal intervention to force them to comply.  In the meantime, how much food gets produced out of the plant and shipped to consumers?  Nestle’s defense?  Their actions are “standard within the food industry”.  There goes that shiver again.

Oh, and a bunch of beef was recalled today too for potential EColi contamination.  The fun never stops.

I know the fun has kind of gone out of the blog in the last week.  Stay tuned – cocktail recipes will reappear, I assure you.

Meridith