JBS Moberly plant back open, documents detail sanitation concerns that led to months-long closure

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The JBS Moberly plant has all lines open after about four and a half months of suspension, after the USDA cited the plant for sanitation concerns in early April.

A JBS spokesperson said the meat processing plant reopened Tuesday with USDA approval.

Documents ABC 17 News obtained from the Food Safety and Inspection Services show the plant discarded over 4,600 pounds of product during suspension from April 2 through June 14.

In a statement on April 9, JBS said operations were suspended for sanitation protocols that didn't meet federal requirements.

USDA documents detail those sanitation concerns, noting employee hygiene, product contamination from dripping condensation, cross-contamination and improperly cleaned food equipment.

For example, a food safety inspector noticed condensation dripping from a window onto a conveyor belt with fully cooked bacon strips. From that one incident on May 9, nearly 1,500 pounds of product was thrown out.

Another incident of condensation dripping onto the product a couple of days later, on May 11, resulted in about 100 pounds of meat being thrown out.

"Condensation dripping from non product contact surfaces onto zone 1 product contact surfaces can serve as a means for spreading numerous types of microbial contamination to include Listeria Monocytogenes," the document states.

Similar situations happened multiple times, according to the document. However, the condensation wasn't observed dripping into the food every time.

When asked, JBS spokesperson Hailey Fishel said in an email on May 14 that there was no recall associated with the plant suspension and the issue was connected to exhaust lines.

"The investigation determined that the concern was linked to an engineering issue within the exhaust system on line 3, which has since been removed and addressed," Fishel wrote. "Importantly, the issue was isolated to that production line, and operations were paused. Lines 1 and 2 have since resumed operations, while line 3 remains offline as we complete engineering enhancements."

The day after Fishel's email, documents show the USDA met with plant management to ask for stronger evidence to prove that the JBS plant's corrective actions since the notice of suspension are in compliance with federal guidelines. About a week later, a similar conversation happened, and the USDA asked management to submit a new plan.

Leading up to the suspension, the document shows that Listeria or associated bacteria were repeatedly found.

"It is extremely important that JBS identifies and eliminates the cause of Listeria contamination in the establishment and provides support in their response that they have done so," a person whose name has been redacted said at a May 21 meeting.

According to the document, the source of Listeria hasn't been found.

The document also details improper employee hygiene, including touching trash with gloves but not sanitizing gloves, removing gloves or washing hands before touching food surfaces where food is placed.

ABC 17 News has requested documents from the USDA that report the plant can reopen.