January 7, 2005
Federal agents, acting on a court order, raided Purity Foods, Inc., in Clayton, Ohio, after reports that some food items were infested with insects.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio issued a warrant, enabling U.S. Marshals and Food and Drug Administration inspectors to seize various dried food products such as hot and cold cereals, cake mixes, muffin mixes, bread crumbs, stuffing, breading mixes, dehydrated potatoes and au gratin potato mixes. The seizure, estimated at approximately $750,000, was conducted because of alleged unsanitary conditions.
Purity Foods is a warehouse and packager of various dried food products. Some of these foods are packaged under the Purity foods label and are sold at grocery and discount stores nationwide. However, Purity Foods also packages products under various store brands.
During an inspection of Purity Foods, FDA said it discovered evidence of various species of insects in multiple packages of food as well as widespread insect activity on packages of products, on the floors, and in other areas of the warehouse where the articles are either stored or manufactured.
By law foods that have been prepared, packed, or held under unsanitary conditions where they may have become contaminated with filth, including insect infestation, are considered adulterated.
