Over 200 Delta flights had to suspend in-flight meal service after the FDA mandated the shutdown of the airline’s food preparation facility.
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Passengers on over 200 Delta flights departing from Detroit Metropolitan Airport were denied meal service after the airline closed its meal service facility in Detroit on Friday.
The closure followed a routine inspection by the Food and Drug Administration. The inspection revealed a “food safety issue,” according to Delta Airlines per CBS News.
“During a recent inspection at a DTW [Detroit Metro Airport] kitchen, Delta’s catering partner was notified of a food safety issue within the facility. Delta and its catering partner immediately shut down hot food production. [It] subsequently suspended all activity from the facility,” the airline explained to CBS News.
Delta Announces a Revamping of Their In-Flight Meal Service
Meanwhile, Delta announced that it is revamping its preparation of both hot and cold meals to restore in-flight meal service.
The airline detailed, “Hot food and other onboard provisioning will be managed from other facilities. ” Delta added, “We will continue to take necessary precautions to ensure food safety.”
At the same time, the FDA addressed the incident but noted that it does not comment on ongoing investigations.
“The FDA is committed to working with our state partners to ensure that the products we regulate are safe and effective,” the agency explained in a statement. “Food safety is a shared responsibility that involves many parties, including producers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers and regulators.”
This incident follows a July flight from Detroit to Amsterdam, during which Delta Airlines served passengers moldy chicken meals. This resulted in several customers falling ill and necessitating an emergency landing in New York.
There were 277 passengers on board. That said, Delta officials did not provide a confirmed number of those who ate the spoiled food. However, around 70 passengers reportedly fell ill after consuming the meal.
Additionally, sources indicated that black mold was found on some of the food. One passenger reported that another individual on the plane had eaten the chicken. However, they reportedly couldn’t finish it because it tasted “really sour.”
All the ill passengers declined any additional medical treatment.