What's the problem?
Dec. 17, 2019 - The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently found Listeria monocytogenes bacteria and inadequate sanitation while inspecting the Friendly’s ice cream plant in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, according to WWLP-22 News [1]. FDA's Office of Human and Animal Food Operations on Nov. 22 sent Friendly's a warning letter [2] after conducting the inspection.
FDA investigators found violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation, in addition to the presence of Listeria bacteria which matched the same strain from a 2017 inspection, the agency said in its warning letter.
Which Violations Were Found?
FDA identified the following violations during its inspections of the Friendly's Ice Cream plant:
- 8 positive swabs with the same strain of Listeria monocytogenes;
- Employee in charge of mixing did not wash, sanitize, or change his gloves after touching scoop handles, opening boxes, and transferring products;
- Friendly's corporate Quality Assurance Director was observed using his bare hands to push partially overturned sundae cups through the machine;
- Plant was not constructed in such a manner that drip or condensate from fixtures, ducts, and pipes does not contaminate food, food-contact surfaces, or food-packaging materials;
- Cake molds had food debris from previous use when exiting the dishwasher;
- Employees did not clean their non-food contact surfaces in a manner and as frequently as necessary to protect against contamination of food, food-contact surfaces, and food-packaging materials, as required;
- Employees were observed using high-pressure hoses during cleaning activities which caused over-spray and things to fall over areas it should not have,
- And more.
Listeria Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of listeria include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Stiffness
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
Source: Mayo Clinic [2]
Can I File a Class Action?
Although Schmidt & Clark, LLP, is a nationally recognized class action firm, we have decided against this type of litigation when it comes to Friendly's ice cream recall lawsuits. Our lawyers feel that if there is a successful resolution to these cases, individual suits, not class actions will be the best way to get maximum payouts to our clients.
If you suffered a food poisoning illness after eating Friendly's ice cream, we know you’ve suffered emotionally and economically, and want to work with you personally to obtain the maximum compensation for the damages caused by your injuries. Contact us today to speak to an experienced food poisoning lawyer to learn more about your legal rights.
Related lawsuits:
- Blue Bunny Ice Cream Listeria Poisoning Lawsuit
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Recall Listeria Claim
- Peekaboo Ice Cream Listeria Claim
- Blue Bell Ice Cream Recall Listeria Claim
Do I Have a Friendly's Ice Cream Lawsuit?
The Food Poisoning Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Friendly's Ice Cream Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new listeria cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one got sick after eating Friendly's Ice Cream, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit and we can help.
