Dive Brief:
- Dole Food Co. confirmed the U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into the company, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. A fatal listeria outbreak was linked to salad produced at a Dole plant in Springfield, OH.
- Last week, FDA inspection reports revealed Dole officials' knowledge of the listeria contamination at the plant dating back to July 2014. General safety issues were reported as early as March 2014.
- Dole is cooperating with the investigation, the company told The Wall Street Journal. The Justice Department declined to comment.
Dive Insight:
It didn't take long after the discovery that Dole officials were reportedly aware of the contamination before the Justice Department launched its investigation. It's this prior knowledge of a safety hazard but the decision to continue selling food or beverages anyway that puts manufacturing executives on the department's radar.
Since last year, the department vowed to crack down on these types of cases, so Dole won't have much leverage to escape this investigation. In the past, the company and/or its executives may have faced steep fines. But judging by other recent cases, such as the Parnell brothers in the PCA salmonella case or William B. Aossey Jr. in the Midamar case, Dole executives could face jail time.
Dole had returned its Springfield plant to operations last week, so it's unclear if the plant will have to shut down again in response to the criminal investigation.