District Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against Los Angeles Seafood Co.
WASHINGTON — On March 30, The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against L.A. Star Seafood Company Inc. and its corporate officers Sima Goldring and Sam Goldring.
The consent decree of permanent injunction was entered to prevent the distribution of adulterated seafood products.
The Department of Justice filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Jan. 5, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, alleging that the company’s seafood products are produced under conditions that are inadequate to ensure the safety of its products. The complaint alleges that L.A. Star Seafood imports, receives, prepares, processes, packs, holds and distributes ready-to-eat smoked and salt-cured seafood, including cold-smoked mackerel and steelhead trout, and pickled herring and sprats. The complaint also alleges that Sima Goldring and Sam Goldring are L.A. Star Seafood’s corporate officers with the authority and responsibility for preventing and correcting violations of federal law at the company.
In conjunction with the filing of the complaint, the defendants agreed to settle the litigation and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction that prohibits them from committing violations of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The consent decree requires L.A. Star Seafood to cease all manufacturing operations and requires that, in order for the defendants to resume distributing seafood products, the FDA first must determine that its manufacturing practices have come into compliance with the law.
According to the complaint, FDA inspections in 2013 and 2014 documented a pattern of insanitary conditions resulting in the presence of Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono). These insanitary conditions were the result of deviations from current good manufacturing practices, such as not adequately cleaning surfaces and utensils used for cutting fish. Further, the FDA’s most recent inspection in February and March of 2014 documented the defendants’ failure to have and implement adequate Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans that control Clostridium botulinum (C. bot) and L. mono hazards. L. mono is the bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious and sometimes fatal infection for vulnerable groups such as newborns, the elderly and those with an impaired immune system. Ingestion of the neurotoxin C. bot can cause botulism. Though the incidence of botulism is rare, its effect is severe. The disease can cause paralysis or death if not promptly treated.
According to the complaint, the FDA documented numerous seafood HACCP and current good manufacturing practice violations when it inspected L.A. Star Seafood’s facility. The complaint alleges that the company’s products are therefore adulterated within the meaning of the FDCA. As further alleged, the company was told to take certain precautions while brining fish to control potential C. bot hazards but failed to take appropriate corrective action. According to the complaint, L.A. Star Seafood failed to adequately clean food-contact surfaces and food manufacturing equipment, utensils and containers to protect against contamination of food, and failed to protect in-process fish products from contamination. The complaint alleges that the company’s insanitary practices resulted in widespread L. mono contamination and that FDA environmental samples from critical areas of L.A. Star Seafood’s facility, such as the processing-room floor and on food-contact surfaces, tested positive for L. mono.
Daily Vessel Report Now on Port Website
LONG BEACH — As part of efforts to alleviate congestion, increase transparency and improve supply chain efficiency, the Port of Long Beach has added a “Vessels at a Glance” page to the Port’s website at www.polb.com/vesselsataglance.
The section features a daily update showing all vessels at berth and anchor within the port, as well as their arrival and departure dates and length of stay in Long Beach.
Also on the new page are charts updated weekly showing the number of vessels at anchor at both Los Angeles and Long Beach, which illustrate trends within the past six months.
As of March 30, the number of container ships at anchor for the two ports has dropped dramatically to 11, showing that the San Pedro Bay ports are catching up on the backlog of cargo. Just two weeks ago, on March 14, the ships at anchor peaked at 28.
“Vessels at a Glance” may also be reached directly through a button on the left side of the polb.com homepage or under the Trade section of the site.
2015 Early Bird 1 Desert Dream House Winners
The Early Bird 2 purchase deadline for the Palos Verdes Art Center’s 2015 Mid-Century Desert Dream House Raffle is April 10.
Early Bird 1 drawings for Palos Verdes Art Center’s 2015 Mid-Century Desert Dream House Raffle took place March 27. The winners are:
First Prize: 2015 Mini Cooper or $25,000
Sylvia McKechnie, Brenda Chalmers, Gilbert Diaz and Kathy Rudon of Torrance
Multi-Ticket Winner: $25,000
Peter Jack of Diamond Bar
Second Prize: $5,000
Wendy Emeny, Connie Spencer of Rancho Palos Verdes
Third Prize: $2,500
Ted and Rosemarie Taylor of Rancho Palos Verdes
Fourth Prize: $1,500
Daniela Saxo-Kaneko of Rancho Palos Verdes
iPad Air 2 or $500
Jacquie Starodub, Chris Todosiev, Alisa Olate, Janice Nacca, Hali Hertzman, Sharon Palmer, Sue Song, Ku Yu Song and Bob Kohler of Rancho Palos Verdes, Robert Joseph O’Connor of Las Vegas, Mike Persichina of Redondo Beach, Kathryn Ettinger of Palos Verdes Estates, Cindy Holdorff of Los Angeles, Eddy Nelson of San Pedro, Alex Torres of Hawthorne, Dianne Bohnsack of Rancho Palos Verdes, Devin Griffin of Redondo Beach, Robert Johnson of Los Angeles, Robert N. and Sanaye Kumagai of Torrance, Dale Swortz of Houston, Jean Pinto of Encino, Jeremy Freiund of Irvine, Florence Madiani of Rolling Hills Estates, Lynne Griffin of Lomita, Minda Baluyut of Lawndale, Sandra Clarke of San Pedro, Daniel Vaughn of Torrance, and Bruce Bond of Seattle.
Now in its 13th year, the Dream House Raffle at Palos Verdes Art Center is the first and oldest house raffle in California. It has awarded more than $13 million in cash and prizes in the past twelve years.
An elegant mid-century vacation home by the master of Hollywood Regency style is just a $150 raffle ticket away for the lucky winner of Palos Verdes Art Center’s 2015 Mid-Century Desert Dream House Raffle. This year, only 25,000 tickets will be sold.
Nestled in the Marrakesh Country Club (Palm Desert), this completely furnished home was designed by the legendary architect, John Elgin Woolf. Dubbed “The Architect to the Stars,” Woolf’s 1960’s luxury style blends classic French and Greek Revival design with Modernist touches, celebrated in this two bedroom, two bath desert retreat.
Also included in the grand prize house package are a 2015 Jaguar F-Type V8 S Convertible, a 2015 Jaguar XK Coupe, a fantasy trip for two to Morocco, two Garia golf cars, two Louis Vuitton golf bags, a five-year golf membership in the Marrakesh Country Club-and $675,000 in cash.
For Raffle Rules and Regulations as well as purchasing options, please visit: www.CADreamRaffle.com
ThePalos Verdes Art Center, a non-profit community visual arts gallery and school, inspires individuals to create, appreciate and celebrate art. Since 1931, when it was founded as a cultural arm of the planned community of Palos Verdes Estates, the Art Center’s exhibition, education and outreach programs have made the visual arts available, accessible and affordable.