Delaware dairy plant linked with listeria had prior violations

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State and federal investigators have found several problems over the years at a Delaware dairy facility whose operations were recently halted after a deadly outbreak of a food-borne bacteria.

But inspections dating back to 2000 uncovered no previous evidence of listeria contamination at Roos Foods in Kenton. State health officials issued a cease-and-desist letter last month ordering the company to halt all activities related to milk and dairy products.

That followed an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration that was prompted by the listeria outbreak, which killed one person in California and sickened seven others in Maryland. 

The FDA this week suspended the company’s registration, prohibiting it from introducing products into interstate or intrastate commerce.

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