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In the past few days, more food facilities saw cases on COVID-19 among employees. Smithfield Foods closed its plant in Sioux Falls, SD for 3 days because more than 80 employees tested positive for COVID-19. During the closure, Smithfield plans to clean and sanitize the plant and install additional physical barriers for improved social distancing. In Hazleton, PA, Cargill has sent 900 employees home “indefinitely” from a meat processing facility. Cargill promised to open the facility once it is safe. Cargill is adding temperature testing, additional cleaning and sanitizing, and social distancing measures to its Hazleton facility. It will also stagger work breaks and offer more flexible shifts while prohibiting visitors when it re-opens. In Maple Leaf Foods, in Ontario, Canada, suspended operations at Brampton after three employees tested positive for COVID-19. While closed, Maple Leaf will deep clean the plant and further investigate the spread of the virus. Tyson Foods, in Columbus Junction, IA, ceased operations at its pork plant after 24 cases of COVID-19 were reported at the facility. Tyson is shifting livestock from the Columbus Junction pork plant to other facilities. While the facility is closed Tyson will make the safety and cleanliness improvements to help mitigate the spread of the virus, including deep cleaning and sanitizing. It is also installing dividers between work areas for social distancing. Face masks and other personnel protective equipment are being deployed for the re-opening. @ https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2020/04/death-illness-reports-cause-industry-to-get-busy-with-covid-19-mitigation-measures/

Some employees in food manufacturing facilities test positive for COVID-19. Three employees of Iowa-based West Liberty Foods have tested positive for COVID-19and the West Liberty plant has been closed until Tuesday, April 14. The infected team members and individuals working in proximity who were determined to be at moderate or high risk have been sent home to self-quarantine with pay. The company will conduct an “intensive cleaning. The Trump administration is exploring options for conducting coronavirus testing for all U.S. food plant employees, to help keep the food supply chain moving through the pandemic. Several meat processing plants have closed down in the last five days, some for a few days and others for two weeks and possibly more. Some companies are facing criticism for continuing to operate, with workers saying the gear and policy changes meant to reduce the chances of spreading the virus within the production plant environment are inadequate. Widespread testing would help identify positive cases and assure other workers’ safety.@ https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/91456

The FDA announced on their website that H&C Food Inc. of Brooklyn, NY recalled 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. in Korea because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled Enoki mushrooms were distributed to NY, MD, and VA areas through Great Wall Supermarket between February 15th, 2020, to March 5th, 2020. No illnesses related to products distributed by H&C foods have been reported to date. The recall was the result of FDA evidence of potential contamination of Enoki Mushrooms from Green Co. Ltd. H&C Food Inc. has ceased the distribution of the product. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hc-food-inc-recalls-enoki-mushroom-because-possible-health-risk?utm_campaign=H%26C%20Food%20Inc.%20Recalls%20Enoki%20Mushroom%20Because%20of%20Possible%20Health%20Risk&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

The number of recalls by the USDA has fallen dramatically, in the last quarter of 2019, there were four recalls per month issued under USDA regulations and five in January 2020. However, there hasn’t been any USDA recalls since February 8th.  The meatingplace place reports that According to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the industry is doing a better job of machine maintenance, record-keeping, and communication up and down the supply chain, and of thoroughly defending against pathogens. “Over the last few years, FSIS has pushed for more accountability from the industry to produce safe and wholesome products. “Industry is acting faster on potential situations that may result in adulteration of products, in some instances using electronic means to control and hold products in their distribution chain to prevent them from reaching the consumers,” FSIS said. The drop-off in recall announcements is not, an agency spokeswoman emphasized, a result of less stringent inspection protocols or a shortage of inspectors, nor are FSIS personnel looking past issues as a way of helping processors who may be fighting to continue operating in a pandemic. “FSIS reviews the actions of the firms and assesses each situation on a case-by-case basis. If FSIS finds that the products are not under control and they are available for sale, then the agency requests the firm to recall the product,” the statement said. @ https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/91409