At the request of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Federal Marshals have seized about 5,000 cases of ready-to-eat frozen Jonah crab products from a coldstore in Lakeville, approximately 40 miles south of Boston. This followed a determination by investigators that the seafood, processed by Rome Packing Company Inc. (Rome Packing), was prepared, packed and held under unsanitary conditions and may present a risk to human health.
During FDA scrutinization of Rome Packing in Lakeville from November 2014 through January 2015, investigators observed poor sanitary practices and found that the company’s cooking process for crabs did not maintain adequate temperatures to prevent the growth of pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono). They collected environmental swabs during the inspection and positively detected L. mono in the manufacturing area. The presence of L. mono in the processing environment may indicate colonization in other areas of the facility.
“The FDA made several efforts to help Rome Packing correct processes, but the company failed to take adequate corrective measures,” said Melinda K. Plaisier, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “In this case, we had to intervene and seize this adulterated food to prevent it from reaching consumers.”
“The duties of the United States Marshals Service vary in scope and nature and include enforcing all Federal court orders such as the one executed today (October 20) with our partners from the Food and Drug Administration and the US Attorney’s Office,” said United States Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts. “Preparing and processing tainted food products for sale to consumers is unacceptable, and the United States Marshals Service will do its part in protecting our nation’s consumers.”
The FDA, an agency operating within the US Department of Health and Human Services, used a bacterial typing tool called whole genome sequencing (WGS) to link the samples collected in the facility. WGS technology can show the relationship among isolates of bacterial pathogens found in the environment, a food source, or a person who became ill from consuming contaminated food.
L. mono is a pathogenic bacterium that can contaminate foods, which may result in a sometimes life-threatening illness called listeriosis. People with compromised immune systems, the elderly, pregnant women and developing fetuses are particularly susceptible to listeriosis. L. mono grows under refrigeration and wet conditions, resists diverse environmental conditions, and can survive for prolonged periods of time.
Rome Packing, headquartered in East Providence, Rhode, Island, is reportedly in receivership and currently not operating or producing food.
To date no illnesses have been reported from eating the crabmeat. Persons who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and return them to the place of purchase for a refund or discard them.
On October 22 the company issued a voluntary recall of its Ocean’s Catch brand All Natural Jonah Crab Leg Meat after routine product sampling by the company determined some of the finished products may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
The list of recalled products includes refrigerated and frozen products. The frozen items, packaged in five-pound plastic bags labeled Ocean’s Catch All Natural Frozen Jonah Crab Leg Meat, are identified by lot number 0104842 and a “before 4/16/16” sell by date. They have been distributed in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois and California to retail stores including but not limited to Shaw’s Supermarkets, Legal Sea Foods, and Harbor Fish Market.
Consumers with questions may directly contact the company’s representative, John F. Whiteside, Jr., by phoning 508-991-3333.
