Tallahassee Personal Injury Lawyer - tainted peanut butter

Peanut Company Knowingly Shipped Tainted Peanut Butter

Brian W. Smith — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:49:43 GMT

Officials at the food plant in Blakely, Ga., responsible for the nationwide salmonella outbreak, knowingly shipped contaminated peanut butter and did not do anything to correct the mold growing on their walls and ceilings. According to the FDA, people became sick or died after consuming food products containing peanut butter produced at the Peanut Corporation of America.

The outbreak, which took place between Sept. 1 and Jan. 9, infected more than 500 people in 43 states, and one person in Canada, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC, along with the Food and Drug Administration, is conducting an investigation. The recent salmonella outbreak may have contributed to eight deaths, according to the CDC.

"PCA distributed potentially contaminated product to more than 70 consignee firms, for use as an ingredient in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream," the FDA said on its Web site.

A report by the FDA released Wednesday revealed 12 instances between June 2007 and September 2008 where the plant’s testing discovered its products were contaminated by salmonella. However, the company still shipped the product.

Upon inspection, mold was found inside the plant, including on the building’s ceilings and walls of the food cooler. It appeared roaches had made the plant their home as well.

The American Peanut Council articulated “shock and dismay” upon learning of the FDA’s report that the Peanut Corp. of America had knowingly shipped contaminated food products.

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and cramping. The illness can last four to seven days. About 1.4 million Americans develop salmonella each year and 400 die from it, according to the CDC.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brian W. Smith

Peanuts Unfit for Human Consumption Were Not Tested by FDA

Brian W. Smith — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:08:13 GMT

According to an exclusive story from the Associated Press, peanuts exported by the Peanut Corporation of America were found to be contaminated, and were returned to the United States, weeks before the earliest signs of a national salmonella outbreak that now has been traced to peanuts from a Georgia processing plant.

The rejected shipment - coming over the U.S. border across a bridge between New York and Canada - was logged by the Food and Drug Administration but never was tested by federal inspectors, according to the government's own records.

The chopped peanuts were prevented by the FDA from being allowed back into the United States in mid-September because the peanuts contained an unspecified "filthy, putrid or decomposed substance, or is otherwise unfit for food," according to an FDA report of the incident.

According to the story, the FDA said it could not provide details about the incident. Peanut Corp. of America didn't immediately respond to AP's request for comment. Federal inspectors previously reported they found roaches, mold, a leaking roof and other sanitation issues at the company's processing plant in Blakely believed to be the source of the outbreak.

Our firm is investigating claims of illness from consuming products containing peanut butter and peanut butter paste manufactured by the Peanut Butter Corporation of America. If you, or someone you know, has suffered illness after eating peanut butter products, contact our offices at (866) 735-1102 Ext 515.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brian W. Smith

Peanut Corporation of America Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut Products

Brian W. Smith — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:31:48 GMT

The expanded recall includes all peanuts (dry and oil roasted), granulated peanuts, peanut meal, peanut butter and peanut paste. All of the recalled peanuts and peanut products were made only at the company's Blakely, Georgia facility. The Blakely, Georgia facility has stopped producing all peanut products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brian W. Smith