FDA Reports Health Violations at Egg Farms
CNN reports that the FDA has found numerous health violations at the farms at the center of the recent salmonella outbreak:
(CNN) -- Rodents, piles of manure, uncaged birds and flies too numerous to count were found by investigators at Iowa farms at the heart of the recall of more than half a billion eggs, the Food and Drug Administration reported Monday.
Inspection reports released by the FDA noted numerous violations at six farms operated by Wright County Egg and Quality Egg, which are owned by the same family, and three Hillandale Farms locations.
The inspections -- conducted in August, after new egg safety rules went into effect -- were launched in response to the nationwide outbreaks of salmonella that have sickened an estimated 1,470 people, according to the FDA.
Neither company fully adhered to their Salmonella enteritidis prevention plans, the inspectors said.
Federal investigators found salmonella bacteria in chicken feed and in barn and walkway areas at some of the farms, officials said last week.
Monday, health officials detailed plans to launch an inspection program of these and other facilities in the coming weeks.
On a conference call Monday, FDA officials said they had also found salmonella in water used to wash eggs at a Hillandale facility. They said it is not clear whether the eggs were washed in contaminated water or if the water was sullied by the eggs.
"Regarding the positive finding in the egg wash water, it is important to note that after washing, all the eggs are rinsed with water containing chlorine as an additional sanitation step," said Hillandale spokeswoman Julie DeYoung.
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