WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- U.S. marshals, acting at the request of the Food and Drug Administration, executed a search warrant Wednesday at an Irvington, N.J., nut company.
The FDA said the federal law enforcement officers executed the warrant at Westco Fruit and Nuts Inc. after the firm refused to provide the federal agency with access to its distribution documents and declined to recall products.
Regulated companies are required to grant FDA entry for inspection, as well as provide access to distribution records.
The FDA said the company received peanuts and peanut products from the Peanut Corporation of America -- a Georgia company that was identified as the source of a nationwide salmonella contamination outbreak.
As of March 17, the FDA said 691 people had been infected with Salmonella typhimurium from peanut products in 46 states, with infections possibly contributing to nine deaths.
"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," said Michael Chappell, the FDA's acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs.
