Internal documents from the Peanut Corporation of America reportedly show that the company knew that peanut butter was contaminated with salmonella 12 times in the last two years, but shipped out the contaminated peanut butter to customers. The revelation will most certainly increase the liability facing the company from both the government and civil litigants after the death of eight people and the injury to hundreds across the country. Indeed, it would appear that criminal charges may now be warranted.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have been investigating company and found that over a dozen internal tests in 2007 and 2008 revealed contamination but that the company sold the peanut butter anyway.
The peanut butter was used to make crackers, cookies, energy bars, cereal, ice cream, candies and even dog biscuits. Investigators have also found the facility in Blakely, Ga., to be rife with four different strains of salmonella, including one found on the floor near a bathroom.
It would be astonishing if the company was not ruined from the expected litigation and, if true, someone needs to face criminal liability in the matter. The case also raises the question over the food safety inspection system and the fact that companies do not have to reveal such tests. The failure to notify federal and state officials of such contamination should be treated as a felony.
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I’m sure they’ll dispatch their lobbiests to DC to have one line included in a bill which absolves them of any past and future behavior regarding food safety.
Cook from scratch and assume you can’t trust processed foods.
Peanut Butter:
roasted or salted peanuts
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil per cup of peanuts
1/2 tsp salt per cup of peanuts, or to taste
process in a food processer until smooth.
I don’t know what I would do without my JIF! I would agree that someone should be in jail for these homicides. If these documents are accurate, this company should be forced into bankruptcy from having to pay the judgments and settlements of the many claims to come. I would think that more than one person could be facing some serious time “up the river”!
Hey we’re all going to die eventually….
May as well as be from salmonella poisoning.
Rafflaw…
Do you think it would be difficult to prove that the salmonella related illnesses/deaths were due to peanut butter? (I mean if people were to sue) How would we know that they didn’t get it because they eat some bad eggs or consumed a ready to eat food that came in contact with a raw chicken? One can get salmonella from a number of things.
I’m with you, life without JIF is unimaginable!
I am amazed that the company can just keep testing with different labs until they get the result they want. We should have great concern about our food supply if this is the level of regulation. Bush has done us all a disservice by establishing this atmosphere of disdain for sensible regulation. There are many types of thieves and charlatans, even in the peanut fields.
Sally,
I don’t think it would be too difficult to prove that the deaths were related to the peanut butter. You would have to compare what the victim ate and provide some evidence that he/she had ingested the nasty food in question. With the evidence that is now coming out from the FDA about the multiple problems with the factory, I don’t think this company will be doing a whole lot of defending. They will be doing a lot of paying out. (along with their insurer)
Mespo,
That is amazing that the company will play the system to get the results they want. That sounds like the Bush/Cheney attempts to find the intelligence that they wanted in order to attack Iraq.
rafflaw:
“That is amazing that the company will play the system to get the results they want. That sounds like the Bush/Cheney attempts to find the intelligence that they wanted in order to attack Iraq.”
************
The methods used by the corrupt and unethical are never very original.
No one has mentioned what brands of peanut butter this company supplies to or makes in their factories! Isn’t that important???!!!! I buy Aldi’s brand and it is distributed by Aldi’s but I don’t know if they make it or what. ??? Does anyone know? Why hasn’t this information be shared with us? Like when a toy is recalled…they are specific about the brand abd everything. It isn’t fair to let all the peanut compnies suffer loss if they have nothing to do with this filthy manufacturer!!
According to http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/63831.php, the brands are Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter produced from May 2006 on. Also, Parnell’s Pride.
Here’s a better source, which says Peter Pan is NOT contaminated. It’s the Peanut Council of America, which lists safe products:
http://www.peanutsusa.com/USA/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.page&pid=262#Brands_NOT_Affected_by_FDA_Recall
Sandy:
Read more, get hysterical less. PCA makes peanut butter paste and ground peanuts, and peanut meal. It is usually sold to institutional buyers, and manufacturers who produce other products. Major brand jar peanut butter is not affected, but some 1900 other products with peanut components are affected. Some boutique brands and institutional brands like King Nut were contaminated but your trips to the Piggly Wiggly to buy major brands should pose no threat to your safety. In fact you’re safer there than in the drive to get the product.