Listeria outbreak at an ice cream company where employees couldn't wash their hands

MISE À DAY

Employees at a Florida 'handmade' ice cream maker, Big Olaf Creamery, behind a large outbreak of Listeria in the United States had nowhere to go wash hands before entering work.  

This finding comes from an FDA investigation into the spread of Listeria: the bacteria has killed one person and sent 27 people to hospital in more than 11 US states , last year.

“We observed that there were no washbasins outside the production section for employees to wash their hands before entering,” writes the FDA in its report.

The FDA investigation also uncovered a series of other issues at the manufacturer that contributed to the outbreak, including the lack of a written food safety plan.

The FDA visited installation 14 times during its investigation.

The manufacturer was also found to have failed to ensure that individuals were qualified to “perform their assigned duties and have records documenting hygiene and food safety training”.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Big Olaf Creamery (@bigolafofficial)

The organization also found that the establishment had been re-contaminated with Listeria while a first outbreak was still ongoing last July.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Listeria is a bacterial infection caused by eating contaminated food. 

According to the CDC, pregnant women, people over 65, and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk. risk.

Symptoms may resemble common symptoms of food poisoning, including diarrhea and fever, and most people with these symptoms recover. straighten without treatment.

The family-owned company has released a statement denying any liability.