WattAgNet: USDA issues public health alert for Nutriom processed egg products

Agency says alert issued because company declined to expand its February 15 recall.

Release Date: 27-3-2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert because Nutriom LLC declined to expand its egg product recall. The USDA said the company has not consented to the USDA's request that it recall an additional 118,541 pounds of processed egg products.

In a statement, the USDA said, "FSIS intends to take appropriate action to remove the products from commerce."

According to USDA, Nutriom's February 15, recall of 226,710 pounds of processed egg products, was because the company allegedly recorded false laboratory results. The company allegedly produced negative laboratory results for Salmonella when the results were actually positive, or reported that sampling had occurred when, in fact, no microbial testing was performed. FSIS is requesting that the company include additional products in the recall, but it has declined.

The agency has said that since the egg products were not produced in accordance with FSIS requirements, USDA considers them to be unfit for human consumption.

The original documentation problem was discovered by Washington State Laboratories in response to a billing inquiry by Nutriom. The laboratory then notified FSIS personnel of the discrepancies in laboratory results. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses due to consumption of these products.