Cheese Company Guilty of Food Adulteration

Delaware Cheese Company Pleads Guilty to Food Adulteration Charge

A Delaware cheese company has pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated cheese in interstate commerce, according to a federal indictment unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

Roos Foods Inc., the company behind the adulterated cheese, agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). The company’s principals, Ana A. Roos and Virginia Mejia, also signed a proposed consent decree of permanent injunction.

The indictment alleges that Roos Foods distributed several varieties of ready-to-eat cheese, including ricotta, queso fresco and fresh cheese curd, to wholesale customers in Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington D.C. in early 2014. The company’s cheese was linked to an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono), a bacterium that causes the disease listeriosis.

L. mono is particularly concerning because it can grow at refrigerator temperatures, making it a significant public health risk. Eight people, including five adults and three newborns, were infected with L. mono in Maryland and California in February 2014. Fortunately, no serious or permanent injuries resulted from the contaminated cheese.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected Roos Foods’ facility in Kenton, Delaware, and found numerous sanitation deficiencies, including roof leaks, corroded equipment, and uncleanable surfaces. The FDA also found that the company failed to implement effective monitoring and sanitation controls in accordance with current Good Manufacturing Practices.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer said, ‘We must work to ensure that the food we buy is free from dangerous bacteria and is safe to eat.’ U.S. Attorney Charles M. Oberly III added, ‘Cases like this demonstrate the need for government regulations concerning food safety.’

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