FDA serves warrant at N.J. company amid peanut concerns

ROCKVILLE, Md. U.S. Marshals executed an inspection warrant Wednesday at a company that refused to give the Food and Drug Administration access to distribution documents concerning possibly contaminated peanuts from now-defunct Peanut Corporation of America.

The FDA said that Westco Fruit and Nuts refused to give the agency access to its documents or recall products following an FDA request. PCA removed hundreds of lots of peanut products from the market over concerns of contamination with Salmonella bacteria following inspections of its plants in Georgia and Texas. The Irvington, N.J.-based company, also known as Westco/Westcott, received three shipments of oil roasted salted redskin jumbo peanuts from PCA’s Blakely, Ga., processing plant.

“FDA’s enforcement action against Westco Fruit and Nuts is an appropriate step toward removing potentially harmful products from the marketplace, especially when, as in this case, a company is unwilling to share information FDA needs to ensure food safety,” FDA acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs Michael Chappell said. “The FDA uses all appropriate legal means necessary to obtain information and fully investigate firms or individuals who put the health of consumers at risk.”

The FDA originally requested that the company recall all products containing peanuts from PCA on March 23. Three days later, the agency issued a formal notice to Westco/Westcott requesting access to records concerning distribution of products containing PCA peanuts. The company declined both requests.

The agency has not received reports of sickness resulting from Westco/Westcott products.