California food manufacturer to stop production after food safety violations

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced Golden Gate Soy Products, a California-based food manufacturer, has agreed to discontinue selling food products until the company complies with federal regulations and other requirements, after repeated Listeria monocytogenes violations. 

US Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley for the Northern District of California entered a consent decree of permanent injunction on 22 November 2019, between the US and Golden Gate Soy Products Inc., and the company’s representatives, Yong Li Chen and Ling Hong Tang. Golden Gate Soy Products specialises in manufacturing a variety of tofu and soy-based products, including soy milk.

“The FDA takes its role to protect our food supply very seriously. The inappropriate and unsafe practices of Golden Gate Soy Products not only violated the law, but also put consumers in harm’s way,” said FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Melinda K. Plaisier. “This type of behaviour is unacceptable and is why we took action to prevent the defendants from introducing contaminated or potentially contaminated food products into the marketplace.”

The consent decree from  prohibits the defendants from receiving, preparing, processing, packing, holding, labelling and/or distributing foods at or from their facility, or any other facility, until certain requirements are met. If the defendants choose to resume operations, the consent decree requires them to notify the FDA and take corrective actions before resuming operations.

The FDA issued the defendants inspection observations noting the violations during each inspection through the use of FDA Form 483s. On 5 March 2019, the defendants responded to the FDA in writing with promised corrective actions. However, the FDA’s follow up inspection found that none of these promised actions were adequate, resulting in the injunction.

The FDA is not aware of any confirmed illnesses related to these products. However, consumers who think they may have been sickened by these products should seek the assistance of a health care professional and contact the FDA to report problems with any FDA-regulated products.