Sysco Under USDA Investigation For Horrifying Food Storage Practices
Investigations into the food storage practices of one of the countrys largest food distributors have reached the federal level, KNTV-TV reported on Monday.
Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) told KNTV that they have begun probing Sysco Corporation following a complaint received at the USDAs office in Alameda, California. Members of a local meat trade association reportedly contacted the USDA after watching a July 2013 report showing Sysco employees storing perishable food in non-refrigerated outdoor sheds, then delivering them using their own cars instead of company vehicles.
That same month, the California Department of Public Health began its own investigation into what one official called a little bit of a runaway train of violations. Fifteen similar sheds were discovered in Ontario, Canada in September 2013, prompting a separate inquiry by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
A company spokesperson told KNTV that Sysco, which serves about 400,000 customers through its 180 facilities in the U.S., Canada and Ireland, had disposed of the outdoor sheds and was cooperating with authorities.
Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), who is based out of nearby Santa Cruz and is the ranking member of the Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration, criticized Sysco for creating mistrust around itself.
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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/30/food-distributor-sysco-under-usda-investigation/