Permanent Injunction Entered Against Michigan Food Manufacturer
The Justice Department said FDA inspections found Green Hope LLC did not store food properly, did not address employee cleanliness issues, allowed wastewater to come into contact with tofu during processing, and failed to clean all food-contact surfaces and equipment.
The Justice Department announced U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson of the Eastern District of Michigan has entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Ann Arbor-based Green Hope LLC, dba Rosewood Products, and President Phil G. Ye following numerous FDA inspections and a complaint filed against the company, which manufactures and sells ready-to-eat organic tofu and soy milk products to businesses in Michigan and Minnesota, including organic supermarket chains.
The complaint said the inspectors found persistent violations at the company's manufacturing facility involving insanitary conditions, including failure to store food properly, not addressing employee cleanliness issues, allowing wastewater to come into contact with tofu during processing, and failing to clean all food-contact surfaces and equipment.
The consent decree orders Green Hope and Ye to correct the violations and ensure they are not repeated. Green Hope is required to develop and implement sanitation control programs; give FDA the opportunity to inspect the facilities to confirm Green Hope's compliance with the consent decree and applicable regulations; and receive written authorization from FDA to resume operations.
"This company has a long history of not complying with federal statutes and regulations intended to protect the public health," said Stuart F. Delery, principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Division. "Consumers expect and deserve that their food be safe to eat, and the Department of Justice will continue to take enforcement action against food manufacturers whose conduct can endanger public safety."
FDA's Warning Letter against Green Hope can be found here.