Springfield Dole inspections showed no issues before listeria outbreak

Public records show Dole’s Springfield processing facility had proper procedures in place to prevent illness, according to inspection reports from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Dole voluntarily closed its Springfield production facility late last week after the site was linked to a listeria outbreak across six states. The outbreak was linked to one death in Michigan, as well as 12 hospitalizations.

Across the region, store shelves normally stocked with bagged salads have been sparse this week.

The Springfield News-Sun reviewed ODA inspection reports from the facility from 2011 through last year after filing a public records request with the state agency. No compliance issues were noted in the ODA’s inspection reports for the last five years, the records show.

The last inspection before last week’s voluntary closure happened on Feb. 5, 2015, records show.

Federal agencies used new technology to track the outbreak back to the Springfield plant.

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