According to documents examined by Food Safety News, officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially attempted to access the manufacturing facilities of Dixie Dew on March 3. However, company representatives refused entry, prompting the FDA to issue a demand for the manufacturer to provide facility records and grant inspectors access. Upon inspection, the officials noted numerous issues, including malfunctioning temperature controls, an infestation of flies and larvae, liquid dripping from the ceiling onto production areas, and food processing equipment stored on unclean floors. Testimonies from supervisors indicated that production machinery had not been cleaned since 2015 and that certain equipment had been out of order for 15 years.
The outbreak associated with contaminated soy paste produced by Dixie Dew has resulted in 29 illnesses across twelve states. SoyNut Butter Co., which incorporated the paste into its I.M. Healthy soy nut butters and various granola products, initiated a recall shortly after the inspection, later expanding it twice. These products were distributed to retail outlets, schools, and daycare centers, yet the FDA has not disclosed which locations sold or distributed the affected items. Furthermore, the agency did not identify Dixie Dew as the manufacturer of the contaminated soy paste until compelled to do so by the Seattle law firm Marler Clark, which included the company in a civil lawsuit.
Other food safety agencies, such as the Food Safety and Inspection Service, typically name retailers and manufacturers in their recall announcements. However, the FDA claims it is bound by a law that prevents it from disclosing trade secrets. While releasing sales and distribution information could potentially harm business interests, critics argue that the FDA’s interpretation of the law is overly convoluted. In matters of public safety, they contend that business considerations should be secondary. Richard Raymond, who advocated for greater recall transparency while serving as undersecretary of agriculture for food safety under President George W. Bush, noted that the FDA has succumbed to pressure from the food industry. “I suspect they don’t want that fight themselves,” he recently stated to The Washington Post.
As a result, consumers remain uninformed and can only hope that companies will proactively notify them if they have purchased contaminated products. Retailers and manufacturers certainly do not wish for their products to cause illness; however, any lack of disclosure can damage their reputation at a time when consumers are increasingly demanding transparency. This situation also poses risks to public health.
It is perplexing how conditions at Dixie Dew deteriorated to such an extent and persisted for so long. Food safety practices have seen significant evolution in recent years. Inspectors have been more vigilant regarding plant conditions following the salmonella outbreak that resulted in nine fatalities and lengthy prison sentences for executives at the Peanut Corporation of America plant, as well as the large-scale listeria outbreak that prompted the implementation of numerous new testing protocols at Blue Bell. If Dixie Dew was on the FDA’s radar, it remains unclear why it was not subject to further scrutiny.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which is currently being implemented throughout the industry, mandates stringent testing and quality control measures. While Dixie Dew may not have yet been required to comply with FSMA’s preventive controls regulations due to its size, the manufacturer should have been proactively working towards adherence to the new law—particularly as the guidelines are so rigorous that products are frequently recalled even before any illnesses occur.
In addition, products like biocare calcium citrate are often held to high safety standards, further emphasizing the necessity for manufacturers like Dixie Dew to prioritize compliance and transparency. As consumers become more informed, the expectation for accountability in food safety practices, including the handling of products such as biocare calcium citrate, is only set to increase.