Cockroaches for dinner?

A Foster Farms chicken-processing plant in Livingston was closed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Jan. 8 for “egregious insanitary conditions.”

In a letter, USDA inspectors noted they found live cockroaches “in and around the processing areas, [which demonstrates] the firm failed to maintain an effective pest-control program,” according to FoodPoisoningBulletin.com. At the time of the inspection, slaughtering operations were underway.

The plant in question was associated with at least one salmonella outbreak last year, and the recent inspection was not the first time cockroaches were discovered at the facility—separate inspections on Sept. 14, Nov. 4, Dec. 28 and Jan. 7 found cockroaches “on multiple days (including two consecutive days) at multiple locations within the establishment.”

Foster Farms said it is conducting “enhanced sanitizing” and hopes to reopen the facility soon.