June 16, 2020

Smithfield sued for misleading marketing of pork products

Smithfield Foods has been sued by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) for alleged deceptive food safety marketing representations about its pork products.

The company based in Virginia, the United States, was accused of misleading consumers -- including those in the District of Columbia -- by marketing its brand pork products as the "safest" possible US pork products.

"In reality, Smithfield employs production practices that result in less-safe conditions, effects and products, including the routine preventative use of medically important antibiotics, crowded conditions, the use of potentially carcinogenic drugs and rapid slaughter methods," stated the complaint filed by the OCA.

The complaint added: "Smithfield's products are commonly contaminated with dangerous pathogens to a degree that makes them far less than the 'safest' possible US born and bred products. The USDA frequently notifies Smithfield that pork processed product in its slaughter plants is more likely to be contaminated with Salmonella that similar products in slaughter plants of the same size."

The complaint further asserted that the USDA had found pathogens linked commonly to human illnesses during testing of Smithfield's pork on several occasions. Many of the diseases strains detected were also found to be resistant to antibiotics that are "critically important" for human health. 

Smithfield Foods Inc. has yet to respond to the action filed on May 20 under the DC Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA), the equivalent to a filing in a state court.

On its website, Smithfield said that it is committed to providing consumers "with the highest quality and safest US born and bred products possible" - one of the points of contention for the OCA.

In a statement, OCA's Ronnie Cummins said that consumer concerns about food safety is enough reason "to hold Smithfield accountable for false safety claims."

- Food Safety News