Health Food Firm Cited for Unsanitary Bakery

A Los Angeles health food bakery was accused Thursday of preparing its products under unsanitary conditions by allowing insects into flour bins and rats among sealed flour sacks.

City Atty. James K. Hahn filed 121 counts alleging violations of the state health and safety code against the Food for Life Baking Co., 3580 Pasadena Ave.

Also named in the complaint were the company’s owners, Robert James Torres, 40, and Charles O. Torres, 45, as well as the bakery’s production manager, Arthur Bartlett, 43. None of the three men was available for comment Thursday.

Ralphs food markets distribute the bakery’s products under both the Food for Life and Natural Food Mill labels, Hahn said.

The bakery also prepares products for Trader Joe’s stores, Hadley’s Markets and Hunza House, he said. In addition, it bakes for Golden Harvest products, distributed by Natural Sales Co. of Pittsburg, he said.

A state Department of Health Services inspector had visited the bakery four times within the last 12 months and warned the company each time of unsanitary conditions, Hahn said.

Although a bakery official promised to correct health code violations, the problems were never corrected, the city attorney said.

Hahn said the inspections found evidence of living insects and parts of dead insects in the bakery’s flour bins and rodent droppings on the pallets of sealed flour sacks.

Hahn said containers of disinfectant had been left sitting alongside containers of molasses, filthy cooking oil had been allowed to seep back into containers that were later used in the preparation of food, and trash and uneaten food left by employees had been allowed to draw vermin.

The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles Municipal Court on Nov. 14. A conviction could result in a $1,000 fine or six months in jail, or both, on each count for each of the defendants.