The recall now includes about 400 items with two new brands of dog biscuits added today. More than 500 people have been sickened nationwide and eight deaths are linked to the outbreak.
Health officials said consumers should avoid any manufactured food with peanut butter while the investigation continues, but jars of peanut butter, such as Skippy, Jif or Peter Pan, are considered safe.
Here's a story listing the new pet foods added to the recall today -
Carolina Prime issued a recall for its products, sold at PetSmart, that include a two-pack of Peanut Butter Hooves, 4-inch Rawhide Bone Peanut Rawhides, 6-inch Beef Shank Peanut Butter Dog Bones and 6-inch Rawhide Bone Peanut Butter Rawhides.
Meanwhile, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and others are asking the Justice Department to determine whether this case warrants criminal prosecution -
Separately, senior congressional and state officials called Wednesday for a federal probe of possible criminal violations at the Blakely, Ga. peanut processing plant.
The company's actions "can only be described as reprehensible and criminal," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who oversees FDA funding. "Not only did this company knowingly sell tainted products, it shopped for a laboratory that would provide the acceptable results they were seeking. This behavior represents the worst of our current food safety regulatory system."
Their actions have resulted in 8 deaths so far and over 500 reported sicknesses across 43 states and Canada. The numbers of sicknesses caused are certain to be much higher as most cases of food poisoning are never reported to authorities, or even recognized as such.
I don't think there's really any question as to whether the actions of those at PCA warrant criminal prosecution or not. I believe the only question is now what they should be charged with...
FDA Findings
The two strains of salmonella found in PCA's peanut products during this investigation have been named as Salmonella Typhimurium (the strain that has caused the sicknesses so far) and Salmonella Anatum. Two other strains were found on the floor of the Blakely, Georgia processing facility and they are Salmonella Senftenberg and Salmonella Mbandaka. No known sicknesses have yet been identified with any of the latter 3 strains during this particular outbreak.
Onto the FDA's observations...
The first thing that struck me is that this recall is almost certain to expand greatly soon. PCA has been knowingly selling contaminated products since June 2007.
FDA released the 483 form (pdf) documenting their observations online earlier today, and here is a summary of their findings -
- 12 instances of PCA lab shopping and knowingly selling contaminated products between June 2007 and September 2008
- Peanut paste lines continued to be used without being cleaned after salmonella contamination was found
- Incomplete roaster temperature records - 75 instances of incomplete records from August 2008 to January 2009
- Raw peanuts stored right next to roasted peanuts
- Roasted peanuts stored within 15 feet of floor cracks where environmental swabs tested positive for salmonella
- Environmental swab from floor of finished product cooler tested positive for salmonella
- Mold observed growing on ceiling and walls of finished product cooler
- Finished products stored directly under cooling units with observed water stains
- Open gaps as large as 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 feet at air conditioner intakes on roof above production area
- Water stains and streaks observed from rain water leaking through leaking into building around skylights in production area
- Totes of finished products stored directly beneath observed leaking areas
- Felt material used on rollers which could not be adequately cleaned or sanitized
- Rework kettle in peanut butter room had 2" by 3" openings leaving peanut butter exposed
- Inadequate ventilation system to prevent cross-contamination from raw peanut staging area into finished product area
- Same sink located in peanut butter room used for washing employee hands and utensils, and for washing out mops
- Product residue build-up observed on grinders, hoppers and support beams of peanut paste tanker line
- Pieces of caution sign observed flaking into product catch pan under mill
- Dry ingredient staging area above peanut butter room dirty with heavy build-up of different powdery substances on all exposed surfaces
- Live roach and several dead roaches observed in washroom adjacent to production-packaging area
- Bumper pads used for sealing trailers against bay doors inadequate with openings of 6 inches or more along sides and tops of trailers
The incomplete roaster temperature records and storage of roasted peanuts next to raw are of particular concern, as roasting is a kill step that would eliminate the salmonella when done properly. The effectiveness of the roasting process on those 75 dates cannot be verified. Also, if salmonella is reintroduced to the product anytime after the roasting process, coming back into contact with the bacteria via contact with raw peanuts or any other method, there would be no further process that could eliminate it.
It appears the contamination could have come from any route, and we may never find out. Rodents, leaks, cross-contamination from raw products, etc...
The latest peanut butter recall news can be found here, and the current list of recalled products is also available at the FDA's site. |
