Washington, D.C., USA- January 13, 2020: FDA Sign at its headquarters in Washington DC. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) is a federal agency of the USA.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a public health alert advising consumers, retailers, and distributors not to eat, sell, or serve any food products distributed by Pan-African Food Distributors Inc., doing business as East Africa Boutique LLC, located in Louisville, Kentucky. This warning follows a May 2025 inspection that revealed severe sanitary violations at the company’s facility.
Contamination Concerns and Health Risks
The FDA inspection uncovered an active rodent infestation, including rodent droppings on multiple product containers, leading to concerns over product contamination with filth. In response, the state of Kentucky has ordered the business to halt operations due to the absence of a required permit and has imposed a blanket quarantine on all products. Operations will remain suspended until the infestation is fully resolved.
The contaminated products pose serious health risks, potentially leading to illnesses such as:
- Leptospirosis
- Hantavirus infection
- Salmonellosis
- Yersiniosis
- E. coli infection
- Rat-bite fever
Anyone experiencing symptoms after consuming these products is urged to contact their healthcare provider immediately.
Products Affected
The potentially contaminated items include a wide range of ready-to-eat and shelf-stable food products, including infant cereals, flours, porridges, beans, and baking ingredients. Many are imported specialty items that may or may not bear the distributor’s name on their labels. Notable products include:
Super Sembe Maize Flour (10kg) – EXP May 2025
Cassava FuFu (10kg & 20kg) – EXP 2024–2026
Huza – Fermented Sorghum & Millet Flour – EXP through May 27, 2025
Nootri Baby, Toto, and Family products – EXP through October 2025
Akanozo flours (various types including wheat, sorghum, soybean, and composite) – EXP through August 2026
White Corn Flour, Peanut Flour, and Beans – EXP through 2027
A full list of affected products is available and will be updated as new information is confirmed.
What Consumers and Retailers Should Do
The FDA urges the following immediate actions:
For Consumers:
Do not consume any products distributed by Pan-African Food Distributors.
Discard any suspect items, especially if the origin cannot be confirmed.
Clean and sanitize all surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with these products.
Do not feed children any potentially contaminated foods.
For Retailers and Distributors:
Cease all sales and distribution of these products immediately.
Clean and sanitize affected storage and display areas.
Notify downstream customers who may have received potentially contaminated items.
The FDA continues its investigation and will provide updates as needed. Pan-African Food Distributors has agreed to initiate a recall of all implicated products.
For more information or to report issues related to these products, consumers and businesses are encouraged to contact the FDA or visit their website.
