From July 29, 2019 to August 20, 2019, FDA inspected Dean Foods-owned Friendly’s Manufacturing and Retail in Wilbraham, MA. At this facility, the make ready-to-eat foods including ice cream products, syrups, and fudge. If you currently need a kick start your New Year’s resolution of healthier eating, look no further. This Warning Letter could have you scared of cheat days for months to come.
A few of the observation highlights:
- Environmental swabs found presence of Listeria monocytogenes – a human pathogen. FDA noted that they also found the same strain in this same facility back in 2017. Lysteria innocula was also found from ice cream dripping from a valve where shortcake sundaes were being made.
- An employee did not wash or sanitize his hands before interacting with utensils and food components.
- The Quality Assurance Director was observed using his bare hands to push partially overturned sundae cups through a machine – and then licking ice cream off his bare hands.
- Overhead pipes continuously dripped over food contact surfaces and onto employees decorating cakes. Again – same thing seen back in 2017 inspection.
- Employees were seen using cloths to wipe condensate on pipes – and then using those same cloths to touch cakes while decorating.
- Utensils and food contact surfaces were not cleaned as frequently as necessary to protection against contamination of food.
- Brushes designated for cleaning exterior surfaced such as wheels and floors were used to scrub food contact surfaces such as conveyor belts, scales, and work tables.
- Disassembled parts from a filler were set next to a floor drain near high foot traffic.
Exterior of inspected facility.
To read the letter in full, click HERE.
If anything in the letter sounds familiar from your facility, or you would just like to be better prepared for your own FDA inspection when the time comes, let us know. In addition to label compliance reviews, we do facility audits and consulting on following cGMPs. Contact us today to discuss your needs and get a free quote.