An investigation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is underway after a viral video of a man urinating on a Kellogg's factory assembly line, made its rounds online. The video was taken in 2014 at a factory in Memphis, Tennessee.
The alleged video was uploaded in the website, World Star Hip Hop on March 11. The video shows the company's logo prompting the company to alert federal regulatory officials.
The company and federal regulators have not yet identified the person in the video. The company, however, is worried that any products that could have been potentially impacted are already past their expiration dates.
"We are outraged by this completely unacceptable situation, and we will work closely with authorities to prosecute to the full extent of the law," the company said in a statement.
On March 14, Kellogg North America President Paul Norman said he was saddened by the emergence of the controversial video.
"Kellogg takes this situation very seriously and we are shocked and disappointed," said Norman.
Cereal maker, Kellogg's is conducting its own investigation. Members of the company based in Memphis spent a lot of time examining the video. They were able to identify differences in the factory equipment making them conclude that the video was taken about two years ago.
A spokesperson from FDA said that the regulatory agency does not confirm or deny ongoing investigations but it's already aware of the circulating video. FDA's spokesperson said that food manufacturers should be responsible in ensuring that the food they are producing is safe and truthfully labeled. The agency assures the public that it takes matters like this seriously since its mission is to protect public health.
Kellogg's started in the 1900s by Will Keith Kellogg and his brother John Harvey Kellogg. It is now known as one of the world's largest cereal maker and the company received the prestigious Spirit of America Award - United Way's highest honor for overall community efforts.
The products that could have been affected were Rice Krispies Treats cereal, Rice Krispies Treats, and puffed rice cake products, which are all past their expiration dates already.
Photo: Rosana Prada | Flickr
