USA- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued a stern warning to ReConserve, a prominent animal feed manufacturer, after discovering violations of federal regulations regarding ingredient storage.
The warning, conveyed in a letter dated January 3, 2024, follows an extensive investigation initiated by a complaint from a state regulatory partner regarding the company’s handling of storage conditions for its ingredients.
During an inspection conducted by the FDA at ReConserve’s animal feed manufacturing site in Baltimore from May 23 to June 29, 2023, significant breaches of federal regulations came to light.
The inspection uncovered “significant violations,” according to a letter sent to ReConserve’s president, David Luskin.
The inspection revealed alarming practices, including the storage of bakery byproducts intended for animal feed production outdoors on the facility’s gravel driveway. This uncovered pile, standing at a height of 3 feet, was found to be contaminated with foreign objects such as rocks and deteriorated packaging materials.
Furthermore, it was exposed to various potential food safety hazards including birds, insects, and adverse weather conditions.
Despite halting the use of the outdoor pile of ingredients on June 1, 2023, ReConserve reportedly resumed using these ingredients a few weeks later without conducting a proper evaluation to ascertain their suitability for feed production.
This disregard for essential safety protocols raised serious concerns about the quality and safety of the manufactured feed products.
Among the litany of violations highlighted by the FDA, ReConserve was faulted for failing to conduct a hazard analysis to identify and mitigate risks associated with animal feed manufacturing, processing, packing, or storage at its facility.
Additionally, the company neglected to establish adequate preventive controls or written procedures to address these identified hazards.
In response to the findings from the inspection, ReConserve submitted a response dated July 14, 2023, presumably to address and rectify the observed deficiencies. However, the subsequent warning letter from the FDA suggests that the measures taken by the company were deemed insufficient in addressing the underlying issues.
The FDA’s warning letter stipulates that ReConserve must provide a detailed plan within 15 working days outlining how it intends to rectify the identified violations and prevent their recurrence. Failure to comply with these directives could potentially result in severe actions such as seizure and injunction, as outlined in the letter.
The issuance of this warning underscores the FDA’s unwavering commitment to upholding stringent regulatory standards to safeguard the integrity and safety of animal feed products.
It serves as a stark reminder to all stakeholders in the food and agriculture industry of the imperative to prioritize adherence to established protocols and regulations to ensure consumer safety and trust.
ReConserve, in particular, faces a critical juncture in its operations, compelled to swiftly and comprehensively address the lapses highlighted by the FDA to mitigate further regulatory repercussions and uphold its reputation within the industry.
For all the latest grains industry news from Africa, the Middle East, and the World, subscribe to our weekly NEWSLETTERS, follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
