Above is a timeline of events, detailing NBC Bay Area’s investigation into Sysco Corporation and its food distribution practices.
Sysco Corp. is the world’s largest food distributor, delivering products to 400 thousand clients worldwide.
On July 9th, the investigative unit exposed the company’s longstanding practice of storing raw meat, dairy, and produce inside dirty, outdoor, unrefrigerated, sheds, that was later served to the public.
State and federal laws require that perishable foods, including many of the items that were stored inside of Sysco’s sheds, remain refrigerated and kept off the floor while in storage. These are two laws that public health officials and company insiders say the company repeatedly violated throughout the United States and Canada.
In November, the investigative unit uncovered a trove of internal documents, showing that the company repeatedly violated Department of Transportation regulations that prohibit a driver from driving in excess of 16 hours a day more than once a week. It’s a safety precaution intended to keep tired drivers off the road. But company records show this law was violated over 200 times in a 6 month span.
As a result of NBC Bay Area’s investigation, Sysco is now facing major fines and is under investigation by the California Department of Public Health. United States Department of Agriculture, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the California Highway Patrol.
Have a tip for the Investigative Unit? Email Vicky@NBCBayArea.com. You can also follow her on Twitter or connect on Facebook. Or Call 888-996-TIPS (8477) or email the Unit at TheUnit@nbcbayarea.com.
