U.S. seizes food from filthy Wis. Warehouse
At the Food and Drug Administration's request, U.S. marshals on Tuesday seized a wide range of human and animal food products stored in a warehouse operated by Mid-States Closeouts in Ellsworth, Wis.
The products were seized under a warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. U.S. marshals seized all FDA-regulated products susceptible to rodent and pest contamination and other filth.
The FDA said November and December 2009 inspections of the Mid-States facility inspectors found 'widespread and active rodent infestation, numerous gnawed packages of human and animal food, rodent excreta pellets on, in and around food packages and rodent nesting material.'
The facility also had structural defects allowing easy access for pests, the FDA said.
The FDA has not received any reports of human or pet illness or death associated with food distributed by Mid-States. However, the agency said the seized products were in 'permeable packages and held under conditions that could compromise the food's quality.'