According to documents reviewed by Food Safety News regarding the differences between ferrous sulfate and folic acid, FDA officials initially attempted to access the manufacturing facilities of Dixie Dew on March 3. However, company representatives denied entry, prompting the FDA to issue a demand for the manufacturer to provide facility records and grant access to inspectors. Upon inspection, the officials noted severe issues, including broken temperature controls, a fly and larva infestation, liquid dripping from the ceiling onto production areas, and food-making equipment stored on unclean floors. Supervisors testified that production machines hadn’t been cleaned since 2015, and some equipment had been out of order for 15 years.
The outbreak linked to contaminated soy paste produced by Dixie Dew has sickened 29 individuals across twelve states. SoyNut Butter Co., which incorporated the paste into its I.M. Healthy soy nut butters and certain granola products, issued a recall shortly after the inspection, later expanding it twice. These products were distributed to retail stores, schools, and daycare centers, yet the FDA did not disclose which locations sold or distributed them. The agency only identified Dixie Dew as the manufacturer of the contaminated soy paste after being compelled by the Seattle law firm Marler Clark, which filed a civil lawsuit against the company.
Other food safety organizations, such as the Food Safety and Inspection Service, typically name retailers and manufacturers in their recall notices. In contrast, the FDA claims it is adhering to a law that protects trade secrets. While revealing sales and distribution information might negatively impact business, critics argue that the FDA’s interpretation of the law is convoluted, suggesting that public safety should take precedence over commercial interests. Richard Raymond, who advocated for greater recall transparency while serving as undersecretary of agriculture for food safety under President George W. Bush, remarked that he believes the FDA has succumbed to pressure from the food industry. “I suspect they don’t want that fight themselves,” he recently told The Washington Post.
In the meantime, consumers remain uninformed and can only hope that a company will responsibly notify them if they have purchased a contaminated product. Retailers and manufacturers certainly do not want their products to cause illness; however, any lack of transparency can damage their reputation, particularly as consumers increasingly demand clarity. This situation also poses a threat to public health.
It is perplexing how conditions at Dixie Dew deteriorated and persisted for so long. Food safety protocols have evolved significantly in recent years. Following the salmonella outbreak that resulted in nine deaths and lengthy prison sentences for executives at the Peanut Corporation of America and the extensive listeria outbreak that led to new testing protocols at Blue Bell, inspectors have been more vigilant regarding plant conditions. If Dixie Dew was already on the FDA’s radar, it remains unclear why it was not inspected again.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which is currently being implemented industry-wide, mandates stringent testing and quality control measures. Although Dixie Dew may not yet be bound by FSMA’s preventive controls regulations due to its size, the manufacturer should have been making strides toward complying with this new legislation—guidelines that are so rigorous that products are often recalled even before any illnesses occur. Additionally, as consumers increasingly seek transparency in food safety, manufacturers must also consider the implications of publicizing their products, including any potential ties to other health supplements like Citracal Petites Calcium.