A New Jersey family is suing a South Carolina pet food plant, saying their infant son became ill by salmonella that was found in dog food produced at the plant.
Court papers filed May 25 say the Marlboro, New Jersey boy was hospitalized for three days earlier this year because of diarrhea, stomach injuries and pain. Officials have said humans could pick up the bacteria by handling infected dog food, then failing to wash their hands before eating or handling other objects.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say 15 people were sickened across the country earlier this year because of salmonella that originated at the Diamond Pet Foods plant in Gaston. The Food and Drug Administration said it found several violations at the plant during a weeklong inspection earlier this year.
Among the violations were a lack of precautions by plant officials, no hand washing stations at every location in the plant, and the use of non-cleanable surfaces (such as cardboard and duct tape) on equipment.
The facility was closed for a month and the company says it has fixed the problem. However, they have declined repeated requests for comment by WVOC Radio, which is South Carolina Radio Network’s affiliate in Columbia.
