Ravi Chermala, previously Director for Quality Assurance at a Kerry, Inc. plant in Gridley, IL, pleaded guilty to causing adulterated food to enter into interstate commerce.  He will be sentenced on the three misdemeanor counts.   It was alleged that during the period June 2016 through June 2018 he withheld results of Salmonella assays and modified procedures to reduce the sensitivity of assays.

The case arose from an outbreak of salmonellosis with 135 cases linked to consumption of a cereal produced by Kerry.  Of those diagnosed, 34 were hospitalized.  The outbreak extended over 36 states.

Brian Boynton, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney at the Department of Justice commented, “The Department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who engage in conduct that conceals potentially dangerous problems from customers or government regulators.”