USDA reverses Taylor Farms Pacific celery products’ findings

USDA announced Dec. 10 that further tests for E. coli conducted by the FDA and the Montana Health Department on a bag of Taylor Farms diced celery and onions product found no E. coli or any other dangerous bacteria.

In November, out of an abundance of caution, Taylor Farms Pacific issued a significant recall of celery products in Western states based on the Montana Health Department’s preliminary findings on this product.

According to a Taylor Farms’ news release, “while the FDA’s announcement indicates this recall was a false alarm, it underscores the importance of Taylor Farms’ highest priority – the health and well being of consumers. We apologized to our customers for any inconvenience caused by the recall, but we will continue to err on the side of caution to ensure food safety.

“As you know,” the company statement said, “Taylor Farms employs numerous measures throughout our growing and production processes to ensure our products are healthy and wholesome. These include:

• Extensive field testing to ensure safety before produce reaches our processing plants, with any contaminated crops tested and destroyed.
• A comprehensive field auditing program that requires all ranches to undergo a full food safety audit prior to harvest.
• Continuous innovation and advancements in crop production and harvesting to reduce contamination in the field.
• A state of the art, produce washing system – “Smart Wash” – to avoid cross-contamination.

Food safety is paramount at Taylor Farms. It’s our highest priority and we will continue to work relentlessly every day to deliver the safest, freshest and highest quality produce and fresh food to promote the health and well being of our consumers.”

Taylor Farms Pacific had recalled the products that were originally thought to possibly include celery that could could potentially contain E. coli 0157:H7.