FDA Warning Letters Spotlight Listeria Risks in Cheesecake, Salmonella in Pet Food, and Seafood Shortfalls

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Listeria Lingers in Florida Cheesecake Plant (Image Credits: Pexels)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continued its enforcement efforts last month by issuing warning letters to four companies for significant food safety lapses. These actions addressed Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a cheesecake production facility, Salmonella in raw dog food, flawed HACCP plans for live oysters, and importer verification failures for seafood products. The letters, posted publicly in recent weeks, underscore the agency’s focus on preventing pathogen outbreaks in ready-to-eat foods and imported goods.[1]

Listeria Lingers in Florida Cheesecake Plant

Inspectors from the FDA visited The Father’s Table, LLC in Sanford, Florida, from January 13 to February 13, 2025. They uncovered Listeria monocytogenes on multiple environmental swabs in the cheesecake production areas. The pathogen appeared on food-contact surfaces such as conveyor belts, tables, and floor drains in the cheesecake depanning and packing rooms.[2]

The company produces ready-to-eat cheesecakes and cake rolls that receive no further lethal treatment after baking, leaving them vulnerable to environmental contamination. FDA laboratory tests confirmed the same strain of Listeria across several sites, indicating persistent harborage conditions. Non-pathogenic Listeria species, including Listeria innocua and Listeria welshimeri, also surfaced, signaling an environment conducive to the dangerous bacterium’s growth. The FDA deemed the firm’s sanitation controls inadequate under 21 CFR Part 117.[2]

Following the inspection, the firm responded with plans for enhanced swabbing, deep cleaning, and product destruction. However, regulators required more robust preventive measures to eradicate the pathogen and prevent recontamination. Full details appear in the FDA warning letter.

Salmonella Surfaces in Minnesota Raw Pet Food

Raw Bistro Inc. in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, faced scrutiny during a September 2025 inspection, a follow-up to prior regulatory concerns. FDA sampling revealed Salmonella Paratyphi in a lot of its Dog Fare Grass-Fed Beef Entrée (lot 239, best by August 27, 2026), prompting a Class I recall on October 10, 2025. Environmental swabs also detected Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria welshimeri on food-contact surfaces.[3]

The company’s hazard analysis identified pathogens like Salmonella and Listeria as risks but relied on an unvalidated antimicrobial wash that failed to prevent contamination. Products underwent additional processing steps exposed to the environment before packaging. The FDA criticized the lack of evidence showing the wash achieved sufficient log reductions under actual conditions.[3]

• Positive Salmonella in finished dog food from retailer shelf.
• Listeria on food-contact surfaces post-wash.
• Inadequate validation and monitoring records.
• Missing procedures for supplier controls and temperature oversight.

The firm outlined updates to its hazard analysis and testing protocols in response, but the FDA found them insufficient. Access the complete warning letter for manufacturing details.

Seafood HACCP Gaps Jeopardize Iowa Oyster Safety

Rio Verde Food Service Inc. in Des Moines, Iowa, drew a warning letter after a July 2025 inspection exposed flaws in its HACCP plan for live oysters. The plan failed to enforce critical temperature limits at receiving and storage to control pathogens in oysters intended for raw consumption. Regulators noted that limits like “(b)(4)” did not align with requirements to maintain products at or below 40°F (4.4°C).[4]

Corrective actions in the plan also fell short, lacking assurances that adulterated product would stay out of commerce. The FDA emphasized compliance with 21 CFR Part 123 to prevent health risks from Vibrio or other pathogens. The company had submitted a revised plan in September 2025, but it still missed key safeguards.

Chicago Importer Repeats Seafood Verification Errors

El Rey USA Meats & Seafood Inc. in Chicago received a repeat violation notice following a January 2026 inspection. The firm lacked proper written procedures and affirmative steps to verify that imported shrimp and tilapia from foreign suppliers met U.S. HACCP standards under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). Specific lapses involved products from multiple unnamed suppliers.[5]

This echoed issues from a 2022 inspection. Documents failed to specify HACCP equivalence, lacked signatures, and omitted chosen verification steps. The FDA declared the imported seafood adulterated due to potential insanitary processing. The company must now provide detailed correction plans within 15 days.

These warning letters serve as a stark reminder that robust preventive controls protect consumers from invisible threats in everyday foods. Businesses have 15 days to respond, with potential seizures or injunctions if unresolved. What steps do you take to ensure food safety at home? Share in the comments.