As the Web turned its gaze to this rare -- and potentially amusing -- disruption in the food supply, Kellogg made no mention of the Georgia Agriculture Department's discovery of listeria in Eggo Buttermilk Waffles produced in the Atlanta bakery. About 4,500 cases of waffles had been recalled.
The foodborne pathogen kills one out of five of those who contract listeriosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But Kellogg, which claims about 65 percent of the frozen waffle market, says no one was reported sickened by the iconic round waffles.
Phil Coale, AP
Kellogg's failure to tell consumers about the listeria outbreak in its explanations for the waffle delay has angered some consumer activists and food safety specialists.
There is no law requiring Kellogg to inform consumers of the setback, but "it was a significant sin of omission," said Sarah Klein, a food safety lawyer with the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
"This is the kind of information that a company shouldn't conceal from the consumer," Klein said. "Even though Kellogg apparently believes listeria presents no health threat, the public has a right to know."
The specialist in public issues of food safety litigation also called the flood "a convenient smoke screen to the pathogen problem."
Kellogg disputes the criticism.
"We disagree," said Kris Charles, a company spokesperson. "We've been up front about the early September recall as well as the reasons for the plant downtime for restoration after recall and after the flood."
But Klein and others said that even if the listeria was isolated in one tiny area of the plant, the fast-rising flood water could have spread the bacteria throughout the plant.
Charles said the plant had been cleaned of listeria before the water rose on Sept. 23, and Georgia officials and the Food and Drug Administration cleared the waffle plant to start baking.
The company says it hopes to have store shelves packed early in the year.
Earlier this month, Kellogg was accused of a bizarre case of misleading the public and jumping on the H1N1 scare when it shipped its popular kid's cereal with labels proclaiming "Support Your Child's Immunity" with its cereal that adds vitamins A, B, C and E.
"Kellogg and other companies of its size should not only be expected to be a leader in food safety, but also in communicating with integrity to its consumers," said CSPI's Klein.
