FDA Orders Shutdown of Castleberry

    • Gold Top Dog

    FDA Orders Shutdown of Castleberry

      The FDA has ordered a Castleberry plant be shut down; they make Natural Balance Eatables.

      Here is the press release from the FDA; 

     

    http://www.itchmo.com/fda-orders-shutdown-of-castleberry-food-plant-4880;

    In July 2007, over 80 types of canned food products and 4 types of dog food produced by Castleberry Foods were recalled due to possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum.

    FDA issued an ‘Order of Need for Emergency Permit’ to the firm at that time. This means that the firm was not able to ship its products in interstate commerce until it received a permit from FDA. The agency issues an ‘Order of Need for Emergency Permit’ if it determines that a firm does not meet requirements of the regulations pertaining to the manufacture of thermally processed low-acid foods or acidified foods, such that the safety of the food is in question.

    FDA believes the company remedied the previously existing food safety problems and the processing procedures will result in a finished product that does not present a health hazard.

    The firm requested an emergency permit and FDA issued an emergency permit after a review of a firm’s documented corrective actions and processing procedures. In September 2007, FDA issued a permit that allowed the firm to ship products that were processed using the firm’s machinery (the vertical still retorts) not associated with the recalled product. None of these retorts was believed to be linked to the previous C. botulinum contamination.

    During a recent inspection of these processing lines FDA found that the vertical still retorts were not being operated in a manner as required, raising the possibility that some cans processed in these retorts could be under-processed. On March 7, 2008 FDA sent a letter to the company suspending the temporary emergency permit.
    No products have been identified as contaminated. FDA has asked the firm to verify the safety of all products produced since the emergency permit was issued.

     

    • Gold Top Dog

     NB Eatables? That's canned food only right?

    • Silver

     It is a canned food. Not their regular Natural Balance canned food but it was a different line called "eatables" They didn't put the eatables back on the shelves after the initial recall...so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.