The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the operations of Sunland, a producer of nuts, and nut and seed spreads, over food safety concerns.
Sunland which operates a processing facility in New Mexico, has been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney that has sickened 41 people in 20 states. It also has a history of violations reaching back to three years, FDA said.
If a facility's registration is suspended, it is prohibited from introducing food into interstate or intrastate commerce.
FDA stated that the fact that the peanut butter made by the company has been associated with a Salmonella outbreak, coupled with its history of violations led the agency to make the decision to suspend the company's registration.
The suspension decision offers Sunland the opportunity to request an informal hearing on certain issues related to the order. If FDA determines that the suspension remains necessary, the FDA will require Sunland, Inc. to submit a corrective action plan to address the problems.
The FDA noted that it will reinstate Sunland's registration only when it determines that the company has implemented procedures to produce safe products.
