Quality Formulation Laboratories Inc., American Sports Nutrition Inc. and Sports Nutrition International LLC are in trouble for failing to report what their powders contain and for having a filthy manufacturing plant.

The following is copy pasted from the FDA’s official website:

The government’s complaint, filed July 1, 2009 in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, alleges that the companies have failed to follow current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) by manufacturing and storing food under filthy conditions and in conditions that may cause major food allergens to enter into products not intended to contain them.

During a recent inspection, FDA investigators found that several of the companies’ products contained milk ingredients that were not declared on the product labels. In addition, the company failed to clean processing equipment between batches and control allergens in the facility.

FDA investigators also discovered live and dead rodents and rodent urine, feces and gnaw holes on bags of product.

So if you’ve found any black pellets in your protein powder lately I can safely assure you that it’s only mouse poo and if you continue to consume that protein powder, chances are you’ll get very sick.

The companies promised to make corrections, but they failed to do so. The complaint requests a court order to stop the companies and its officer from manufacturing and distributing the products until needed corrections are made.

“This company has consistently failed to correct filthy conditions in their plants and to make sure that allergens are appropriately declared on the labels, despite frequent warnings to do so,” said Michael Chappell, the FDA’s acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “The FDA will not tolerate companies that fail to provide adequate safeguards.”

Congratulations to the FDA for taking action on these guys, now how about inspecting the gazillion other supplements on the market that have chemicals we’ve never even heard of. Yerba Mate Powder? I hope that’s not ground up mouse poo!

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm171458.htm