LAX caterer faces inspection over sanitation complaints

California workplace safety regulators have opened an inspection into an airline catering facility serving Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) after workers alleged exposure to maggots, mold, cockroaches and other unsanitary conditions while preparing and handling equipment used for in-flight meals.

The complaint against Flying Food Group's facility in Inglewood, near LAX, was filed with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, by UNITE HERE Local 11 on behalf of employees, according to reports by The New York Times, CNN and ABC7.

Cal/OSHA confirmed to The New York Times that it had "received the complaint and has opened an inspection", but declined to provide further details.

The allegations have drawn attention to sanitation and worker safety within the airline catering supply chain, in which food is prepared, stored and transported before being loaded onto aircraft serving thousands of passengers.

According to the complaint, an employee said she was instructed in late June to clean dishes from a cart that had remained unopened for an extended period. She reported finding dozens of dishes containing decomposing, mold-covered food, some with what appeared to be live maggots and flies.

The worker suggested that the dishes be discarded, but a supervisor allegedly told her they were needed for an upcoming flight, according to the complaint.

Susan Minato, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, told ABC7 that the worker said, "I don't think I should clean this. I think that this should be thrown away. This is too disgusting".

Minato said the worker was nevertheless instructed to clean the dishes and was not provided with a face mask or other specialized protective equipment. The complaint said she later experienced stomach pain, a headache and an unusual sensation in her nose.

The union also alleges that employees encountered what they believed to be cockroaches and other vermin in food preparation areas and near airline food carts. Another employee alleged that she photographed cockroaches in the kitchen and on a Lufthansa cart in December, The New York Times reported.

A spokesman for Lufthansa said the airline had not previously been aware of the alleged incident.

"Lufthansa Group holds its caterers to rigorous food safety and sanitation standards, and we expect full compliance with these standards at all times across our global network," spokesman Tal Muscal told The New York Times. "Otherwise, Lufthansa will not hesitate in taking appropriate action."

Virgin Atlantic also said it was taking the allegations seriously but had found no indication that meals provided to its passengers had been affected.

The airline said it had "no evidence that catering supplied for its customers has been compromised," according to the media.

The union said Flying Food Group serves more than a dozen international airlines at LAX, including Air France, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

The complaint also alleges that bathrooms and handwashing stations at the Inglewood facility sometimes lacked sufficient soap or paper towels.

Maria Hernandez, press secretary for UNITE HERE Local 11, told CNN that workers were "incredibly frustrated" by the alleged conditions at a facility supplying some of the world's largest airlines.

Flying Food Group operates 19 catering facilities across the United States and, according to CNN, prepares about 120 million meals annually for more than 75 airlines.

The company told CNN that it was aware of the allegations and was reviewing them.

"We are conducting a thorough review of the allegations and are cooperating with the appropriate regulatory authorities," Flying Food Group said.

The union subsequently told Los Angeles World Airports, which oversees LAX, that a Cal/OSHA inspector had allegedly been denied entry to the facility on Friday, according to The New York Times. Cal/OSHA confirmed that an inspection had been opened but declined to comment on whether an inspector had been denied access. Los Angeles World Airports also declined to comment.

The latest complaint follows previous workplace safety concerns at the facility. CNN reported that Cal/OSHA issued six citations to the company in May following a January incident in which two employees were reportedly found inside a cold-storage room that had been chained from the outside.

The allegations have not been established as regulatory findings, and the news reports cited no evidence that contaminated food reached airline passengers. Virgin Atlantic specifically said it had no evidence its catering had been compromised, while Lufthansa said it expects its caterers to meet rigorous food safety and sanitation standards.

Cal/OSHA's inspection is now underway, while Flying Food Group has said it is conducting its own review and cooperating with regulatory authorities.

renali@chinadailyusa.com