Peanut Plant Knew of Salmonella Problem According To FDA

Seattle – Nearly six hundred people in forty states have become ill from what has been called one of the most disturbing salmonella outbreaks in recent years. Salmonella is an organism that can cause illness and death in those with weakened immune systems, the elderly and young children.

This latest outbreak has caused major chains such as Kmart, Wal-Mart and others to remove all products, which were made from a peanut base produced at the now closed Peanut Corp of America processing plant.

Employees in droves are coming forward recounting the fact the unsanitary conditions at the plant were known and ignored by management and the owners.

Rats were found in bags of peanuts used to produce the paste in making, cookies, cakes, peanut butter and numerous other products. One employee stated he found baby mice in a container of peanuts used at the processing plant. He stated, “It was filthy and nasty all around the place.”

Another employee stated he would not eat any nor allow his children or any members of his family to eat products made from the peanuts at this plant. Conditions were so bad, rain was found dripping over an area where peanuts were processed to be used as a paste.

Truckloads of the tainted peanut products were sold to the federal government from the plant. The products were used in federally funded school cafeterias. The schools are those for primarily disadvantaged children from poor and low-income families.

According to federal officials, the owners of Peanut Corp of America continued selling the contaminated products even after salmonella was discovered and disclosed to them.

During 2007 and 2008 internal testing results in 12 separate incidents showed salmonella in large readings discovered. After being informed of the results, owners did not have the equipment used in processing cleaned, disinfected or replaced. The test results were kept quiet and not disclosed to officials or the public.

The Washington Post reported that schools in California, Minnesota, and Idaho received tainted products during a period between January and November of 2007. As soon as officials found the discovery, school officials were notified of the tainted products and all food containing the peanut products was immediately destroyed.

Amy Rotenberg, attorney for Peanut Corp of America, stated, “We have not made a determination yet on liability. “We are neither denying or admitting liability at this point. We are still investigating.”

Peanut Corp of America has challenged the report issued and findings. The company spokesperson stated “Our top priority has been and will continue to be to ensure the public safety and to work promptly to remove all potentially contaminated products out of the marketplace.“

The salmonella outbreak has affected hundreds of consumer items. Ice Cream, Entrees, cookies, candies, pudding mixes, brownie mixes and peanut butter among other products. For a list of the latest recalls, visit www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/.

Sources:

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/02/07/peanut0207.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-peanut7-2009feb07,0,1498296.story http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/news/?cid=188721