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Product recall
in 2009
In
March 2009, a time that UIF can never forget, a news report of food poisoning
in Oregon appeared on the media. A restaurant customer became ill after dining
in a Vietnamese eatery. FDA inspectors found an uncovered container of Lian Hwa
white pepper in the restaurant’s kitchen that was contaminated with salmonella.
The bacteria were eventually identified to be Salmonella rissen originated from the white pepper corns imported
from Southeast Asia.
Once
the source of contamination was identified, agents from FDA and the Food and
Drug Branch (FDB) of California Department of Public Health descended on our
facility at Union City, where the same contaminants were found. On March 30, UIF
promptly initiated a voluntary product recall on 57 items the company
distributed and sold in the United States.
After
several months of close interactions with the government and facility/operation
improvement consultants and agencies, on August 13 FDA and FDB removed Lian Hwa
White Pepper from the list of products prohibited for sale. And, on December 8,
2010, an official notification was issued by the Department of Health and Human
Services at FDA of the final completion of its audit on the recalled products
and their disposition.
The
ordeal, which literally brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy both financially
and in reputation, has been unspeakably painful. However, as Daniel Chen said
in the press conference on the eve of the lift of product ban, UIF has gone
through the traumatic experience to rebuild the operations and give rebirth to
the business, and now began to repair its once tarnished reputation. In
retrospect, it was a blessing in disguise. Because of the unfortunate mishap,
for the large part UIF was the victim of the contaminated raw material, the
company has upgraded its processing facility, implemented GMS/SSOP/HACCP
programs, and improved its management. Today, Daniel Chen personally vows to continue providing his clients with the
products of premium quality and service of 60-year supreme tradition.
11/20/2013