LSG Sky Chefs - Sanitary Standards & FDA Warnings

Sanitary Standards & FDA Warnings

Since 1996 LSG Sky Chefs has received multiple Warning Letters by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because of the violation of sanitation standards in the processing of food for airlines.

The most recent warning by the FDA was issued on December 10, 2009, and addresses the results of inspections of the LGS Sky Chefs' facility in Denver, Colorado, in September and October 2009. The FDA downgraded the facility status from Approved to Provisional. The FDA inspectors found dead and living cockroaches and other insects in many areas of the facility. In addition, they noted the following violations:

employees prepared food with their bare hands or using unwashed gloves, water dripping from the ceiling on equipment and utensils, standing water in the garbage room, debris in ice pit, dairy cooler, dish machine area, and automatic cart wash area, and holes in wall surfaces creating areas for insect and vermin harborage.

The inspectors also noted improper handling and storage of cleaned utensils. Three swab sub samples collected from the floor in the hot kitchen area contained the Listeriosis causing pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. The FDA gave LSG Sky Chefs 30 days to remedy the deficiencies. In case the next FDA inspection should still expose problems, the facilities status to provide food to airlines would be revoked. On January 19, 2010, the Food and Drug Administration issued a follow-up letter informing LSG Sky Chefs that their Denver facility had passed the required re-inspection and had been restored immediately to "Approved" status since the company had taken action to resolve the issues cited by the FDA in their original notice dated December 10, 2009.