California food firm warned after rodents, cats, bats, roaches and more found in warehouse

As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners have 15 days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until a company has been given months to years to correct problems.

Gold Coast Distributors Inc. dba Shah Distributors Stockton, CA

Owners of a food firm in California are on notice from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after rodents, cat urine, bats, oriental and Turkistan roaches, Indian meal moths and more were found in their facility.

In a Nov. 02, 2022, warning letter, the FDA described a May 9-27, 2022, inspection by the FDA of Gold Coast Distributors Inc.'s ambient and frozen warehouse and re-packing facility in Stockton, CA.

The FDA's inspection revealed that the firm had serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation, and resulted in the issuance of an FDA Form 483.

Some of the significant violations are as follows:

Current Good Manufacturing Practice

1. The firm did not take effective measures to exclude pests from their packing and holding areas and to protect against the contamination of food on the premises by pests. Specifically, rodent, insect, and animal activity was observed throughout their facility including, but not limited to the following:

Rodent Activity observed:

Dry storage room at (redacted) end of warehouse

Southwest side of the warehouse

Northwest side of the warehouse

Inside (redacted) freezer at the northwest end of warehouse

Southeast end of the warehouse

Insect activity observed:

Animal activity observed:

Pest control records:

In addition to visual observations, FDA investigators conducted a review of the firm's third-party pest control provider inspection reports which revealed the following:

Samples

FDA collected several samples during the inspection. These samples were submitted to FDA labs for analysis. Results demonstrate that submitted product [including (redacted) (split chickpeas) and (redacted) brand Paprika] were contaminated with rodent/mouse hairs, cat hair and urine, urine stains (on packaging), gnaw marks, REPs as well as various species of larval, pupal, and adult insects. Further, a sample had evidence of insect penetration and damage to packaging and product as well as urine stains and yeast. The filth samples further demonstrated the presence of rodents and insect activity throughout the facility through the presence of rodent hairs, teeth marks, in pellet morphology and nesting materials as well as confirmation of various species of insects at larval, pupae and adult stages.

The firm failed to properly store equipment, remove litter and waste, and cut weeds and grass that may constitute an attractant, breeding place, or harborage for pests within the immediate vicinity of the plant. Specifically,

In addition, on May 12, 2022, the following food products slated for destruction were located outside on their grounds:

The firm's Inventory Controller could not provide an estimate as to how long the food slated for destruction had been kept outside. This employee stated that dumpsters were ordered but could not give a time frame as to when they would arrive.

Further, on May 23, 2022, hundreds of apparent REPs were found around all 6 downspouts of the gutter drainage systems outside and along the south wall of the firm. At least 100 apparent REPs were found around the downspout nearest to the visitor's entrance of the firm. At least 300 apparent REPs were found around the 3rd downspout located at the center of the south wall. Apparent rodents were heard moving about the inside of the piping system that led this downspout.

The firm did not provide employees with adequate, readily accessible, and clean toilet facilities to prevent a potential source of contamination of food, food-contact surfaces, or food packaging materials. Specifically:

The full warning letter can be viewed here.

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