One of the largest food safety sanitation services firms in the United States has paid $1.5m in civil penalties after a federal investigation found at least 102 children were employed in hazardous occupations at 13 meat-processing facilities in eight states.

The Department of Labor found children aged between 13 and 17 years of age were hired by Packers Sanitation Services to work at facilities operated by a number of meat industry giants, including Tyson Foods, JBS Foods, and Cargill.