[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Justice Department launches criminal investigation of Blue Bell Creameries over deadly listeria outbreak[/title][fusion_text]Thursday, December 31st 2015
The Justice Department has reportedly launched a criminal investigation of Blue Bell Creameries over a deadly listeria outbreak, the latest example of the Obama administration’s effort to turn up the heat on producers and processors over food safety failures. CBS News reports that investigators are looking into Blue Bell production practices that led to the sickening of at least 10 people – four in Kansas, three in Texas, two from Arizona and one from Oklahoma. FDA inspection reports found that Blue Bell facilities were not being kept clean before the outbreak occurred. The Justice Department would not comment on whether or not it is conducting an investigation. “As a matter of policy, the Justice Department generally neither confirms nor denies whether a matter is under investigation,” DOJ said. Blue Bell did not return a call to its media department. The company has been gradually ramping up its operations and expects its ice cream to be available in 15 states by Jan. 25. t also has said it instituted a number of practices to prevent future outbreaks, such as hiring a microbiologist to examine its production process and implementing a “test and hold” procedure, “where production runs will be tested and held until results are received before being distributed to market.” A Justice Department investigation wouldn’t necessarily result in criminal charges, but the federal officials have put producers and processors on notice that they could be prosecuted in some cases.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth]