A federal court enjoined a seafood processor and its operators from distributing its products after it was accused of violating the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by distributing adulterated ready-to-eat crabmeat.
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A civil complaint for permanent injunction in a district court alleges that Irvington Seafood, Inc., its owner and company officers processed the crabmeat at its Alabama factory, then sold and distributed the products across the country.
The complaint also alleges some rather unsettling details. Apparently, between 2006 and 2022, numerous FDA inspections of Irvington’s facility revealed that crabmeat products were being prepared, packaged and held under insanitary conditions.
Inspections allegedly found roaches, flies, maggots and Listeria on food-contact and non-food-contact surfaces of equipment. Furthermore, the complaint said employees at the facility were not properly washing their hands and aprons and did not remedy the situation despite multiple FDA warnings.
Irvington agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction.
The federal court order requires the company to destroy all of its raw ingredients and food products. Irvington must also notify the FDA before processing or distributing any food and allow the agency to inspect its facilities and procedures.
The development comes nearly one year after Irvington recalled its one-pound packages of Crabmeat: Jumbo, Lump, Finger, and Claw Meat for potential Listeria contamination. The FDA did not test the crabmeat but did find Listeria on cooking equipment and in a cooking room.
