FDA announces criminal investigation into Georgia peanut plant

2009-02-02 23:55:00 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash, Product liability)

FDA announced criminal charges probe into Peanut Corp. of America

The FDA begins criminal investigation into Peanut Corp. of America in Georgia.

West Palm Beach, FL (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) www.fda.gov, announced they were beginning a criminal investigation into Peanut Corporation of America’s Blakely, Georgia peanut processing plant as reported by CNN. The director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition claims the federal agency will work with the Department of Justice to investigate and file a criminal case against the peanut processing company. Many officials are speculating the peanut plant is responsible for a wide spread outbreak of salmonella poisonings which has affected over 500 people in 43 states and Canada.

Peanut Corp. of America has recalled peanut butter and peanut paste manufactured at its Blakely, Georgia plant. The mass recall, and subsequent closing of the Georgia plant, was in response to salmonella being found in an open 5 pound tub of peanut butter at a Minnesota long-term care facility in late 2008. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) www.cdc.gov, researchers and medical investigative teams have been baffled by a salmonella outbreak which began in August 2008 causing hundreds on illnesses and injuries including 8 deaths in the United States and Canads. This mass salmonella epidemic may be linked to the strain of bacteria found in the peanut butter tub at the Minnesota long-term care facility.

Peanut Corp., does not supply peanut butter to retail establishments like grocery stores. The peanut butter and peanut paste products, made in the Blakely plant, are sold in bulk to institutions, companies, and food serivce industry manufacturers. The containers are produced and sold in 5 to 1,700 pound containers. Peanut Corporation of America has plant in Texas and Georgia with their company headquarters in Virginia. According to recent investigations Peanut Corp has had their samples tested at reputable laboratory facilities over the years as part of quality control measures and their samples have tested negative for salmonella bacteria.

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