Salmonella Cases Traced To PCA Texas Plant

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:47:29 AM PST

Lynne Terry (aka "peanut girl") of the Oregonian broke the story yesterday that Colorado Health Officials have traced six Salmonella illnesses to the now closed Peanut Corporation of America's (PCA's) Plainville, Texas plant of Peanut Corporation of America. Until Lynne broke the story, "federal authorities had identified the company's plant in Blakely, Georgia as the [only] source of the outbreak that has sickened nearly 640 people and killed nine." According to Lynn, "epidemiologists in Denver told [her] on Friday that they have linked six new cases to the [Texas] plant...."

Here's the original Oregonian article from Friday -

On Thursday, Texas health authorities ordered the recall of all peanut-related ingredients ever shipped from the plant, which had operated since 2005 without an inspection. Texas officials found dead rodents and feces, and preliminary tests by a private lab indicated salmonella was present.

Wow, this is just getting ridiculous now.  Bill Marler also asks another great question - has anybody taken a look at their third plant in Virginia?

Georgia Will Consider Charging Parnell, PCA With Manslaughter

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Fri Feb 13, 2009 at 01:35:19 AM PST

Georgia officials say they will consider charging the company and its CEO, Stewart Parnell, with manslaughter, if federal authorities do not.

First time I've heard anything about that.  Somebody had better!  How much more evidence do they need?  Manslaughter is the least Parnell should be charged with, imo...

The very next paragraph brings up another interesting question, which shouldn't even be a serious question at all -

But legal experts say the current food-contamination scandal will test the willingness of federal law enforcement officials to use handcuffs against Mr. Parnell and other allegedly rogue operators in a country with some 60,000 food-production factories.

How much more evidence is needed that this was a premeditated act?  It was a business decision on the part of Stewart Parnell and PCA to introduce food that they knew was contaminated with deadly bacteria into the food system.  Nine people have died as a direct result of that decision.  There's a word for that, and it ain't "business".

Why is it that Stewart Parnell and others like him are allowed to commit heinous crimes under the cover of the legal entity known as a corporation, and there are actually questions as to whether (or what) charges will be filed against the guy?

Was the key legal mistake of every murderer in prison right now that they failed to 'incorporate' before they killed people?

Ninth Salmonella Death Confirmed

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:08:07 PM PST

A second Ohio woman's death has been linked to peanut products from a Georgia plant now under fire for sending tainted food to manufacturers across the country.

An elderly woman from Medina County died after contracting Salmonella typhimurium, the strain of the bacteria associated with a nationwide outbreak that has prompted widespread food recalls, said Ohio Department of Health officials.

Out of the 9 deaths and over 600 reported sicknesses currently linked to this outbreak, 2 deaths and at least 90 sicknesses have so far been confirmed in Ohio.  Ohio leads the nation in confirmed cases.

In other peanut news today - for the families of PCA's victims, file this one under too little, too late -

The Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously approved a plan that would require food makers to alert state inspectors within 24 hours if a plant's internal tests show its products are contaminated.

[...]

"If this bill had been in place six months ago, a red flag would have been raised," said Republican state Sen. John Bulloch, the committee chairman and the measure's sponsor. "I think we could have identified this plant had a problem."

Food safety experts, government groups and industry lobbies say they don't know of any other state that requires food manufacturers to share internal data.

What have these 'regulators' been 'regulating' all along, anyway?

Internal Emails: PCA President "Urged Shipping" Poison Peanuts

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:28:13 AM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) - The owner of a peanut company urged his workers to ship tainted products after receiving test results identifying salmonella, according to internal company e-mails disclosed Wednesday by a House committee.

The company e-mails obtained by the House panel showed that Peanut Corp. of America owner Stewart Parnell ordered the shipments tainted with the bacteria because he was worried about lost sales.

Lost sales, or lost lives?

This news comes from internal company emails obtained by the House Committee before which Stewart Parnell was subpoenaed to appear.

Is there any question now that this man should spend the rest of his life in prison?

Deja Vu: PCA Texas Peanut Plant "Disgusting", "Leaky Roof Peppered With Bird Poop"

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:59:45 AM PST

After yesterday's news of a new salmonella find at PCA's Texas plant, the New York Times follows up this morning with more on conditions at that plant -

Kenneth Kendrick, a former assistant plant manager of the Texas facility, said in an interview that the plant had a leaky roof, rodent infestation and poor process controls. A second former employee of the Texas plant, who asked for anonymity because of legal concerns, confirmed Mr. Kendrick's descriptions of the plant and its processes. Mr. Kendrick left the plant about two years ago.

"This was a disgusting plant," Mr. Kendrick said. "We cut corners."

The plant always had standing water in its basement, Mr. Kendrick said. The roof leaked so badly that when it rained, workers were instructed to raise tarps to the ceiling to direct the water away from peanuts and plant equipment, the two said. Rain at night went unattended, they said.

Sound familiar?

Peanut Corporation of America is a criminal enterprise, a repeated pattern of unconscionable behavior has clearly been established in the way they run their business.  It's time to stop playing footsy with those who kill and sicken people through poisoned food.  This outbreak was not a 'mistake' or an 'accident'.  It was a business decision on the part of PCA's executives to run their organization in this manner.  Long prison sentences are called for here, and this company needs to be shut down now and forever.  

In a perfect world?  We'd see Stewart Parnell and other top PCA executives prosecuted under the RICO statutes, and we'd see the company and those executives stripped of all their assets to compensate their victims.

I won't be holding my breath on that, though.  We'll see what happens...

Breaking: Salmonella Found In PCA Texas Plant, New Recalls Issued

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 13:17:14 PM PST

Peanut Corporation of America shuttered its Plainview, Texas plant last night at the request of state health officials, said Doug McBride, a spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health Services. The action came after laboratory results from samples taken on Feb. 4 of roasted peanuts, peanut meal and granulated peanuts were positive for salmonella.

It appears the shutdown wasn't for charitable reasons after all, eh?

Wow, this is from the Texas plant that was previously said to have no contamination present -

The bacteria were discovered before the affected granulated peanuts and peanut meal had left the Texas plant but after contaminated roasted peanuts had been shipped out of state, McBride said. Company officials notified the distributor last night and recalled the roasted peanuts, he said.

During all this, they were still shipping salmonella contaminated peanuts!

PCA 'Voluntarily Suspends Operations' at Unlicensed, Uninspected TX Plant

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Tue Feb 10, 2009 at 08:12:38 AM PST

ATLANTA (AP) - The company at the center of an investigation into a deadly national salmonella outbreak has suspended operations at a second peanut processing plant.

Peanut Corporation of America said in a statement Tuesday it is voluntarily suspending operations at its Plainview, Texas, plant while state and federal health officials complete an investigation into procedures and food safety records there.

PCA was still shipping food products all this time?  From an uninspected and unlicensed plant?  And btw - which companies and institutions were still buying from PCA?

This Texas plant operated uninspected and unlicensed since at least 2005.  This was discovered by federal and state agencies over a week ago, and it was still operating until today?  And it only 'suspended operations' by choice?  I honestly don't know what else to add here...

Can we see that Change soon (like, now...), please?

"Cancer Couldn't Claim Her, but Peanut Butter Did"

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Fri Feb 06, 2009 at 21:50:41 PM PST

Cancer couldn't claim her, but peanut butter did. Now that we understood the cause of her death, our grief was replaced by anger as we struggled to accept this very preventable tragedy. Our family feels cheated. My mom should be with us today.

Shirley Almer had beaten cancer twice over the previous year and a half.  I honestly don't even know what I can add here.  

Totally preventable tragedy, and the executives responsible at PCA must pay for their criminal actions that have directly led to eight deaths and hundreds of reported sicknesses, along with who-knows-how-many others that we'll never know of.

Other peanut butter news from today:

• FDA today 'amended' their initial report, and now says that PCA shipped some salmonella contaminated products without even bothering to get a second 'negative' test result.
• Peanut butter sales are down 25% nationwide, other manufacturers not involved in the recall are resorting to ads and coupons to get customers back.
• Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has come out in favor of a single food safety agency.

FEMA Distributes Recalled Peanut Butter to Storm Victims

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Thu Feb 05, 2009 at 21:06:44 PM PST

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Officials on Thursday warned victims of last week's ice storm not to eat peanut butter packets from emergency meal kits distributed by the federal government because they had been recalled for possible salmonella contamination.

The kits were shipped to Arkansas and Kentucky to help feed some of the 1.3 million people left without power for days at the height of the storm. No illnesses have been reported and recalls were ordered out of "an abundance of caution," said Jay Blanton, a spokesman for Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear.

Also, in other peanut butter news today:

• Kellogg's audits in 2007 and 2008 gave PCA's Blakely, Ga. plant an overall superior rating
• US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) calls for jail time for food producers responsible for widespread, deadly outbreaks of disease
• PCA President Stewart Parnell has been stripped of his seat on the government peanut quality standards advisory board
• PCA has been banned from doing business with the federal government, but only for one year as of right now

FDA To Killers: May We Take Action?

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Mon Feb 02, 2009 at 22:00:03 PM PST

That probably doesn't come as a surprise to many of us here, but I couldn't let this article slip by without comment -

Even though federal health officials have begun a criminal investigation into whether the Peanut Corporation of America deliberately sold contaminated products, the government still needed the company's permission last week before announcing a huge recall of its products.

The wording of the recall statement had to be approved by the company before the Food and Drug Administration could publish it under current rules. The agency relies on cooperation from food makers to ensure the safety of the food supply even when those makers are suspected of crimes.

Now this takes us on to the corporate personhood debate.  Regardless of where anyone stands on this issue, which goes back to a misinterpreted Supreme Court case from the 19th Century; I don't think anybody can present an honest case that things on this front don't need to change, and change now.  Not only are corporations currently afforded rights as living beings that they don't deserve, but they're also given rights by law way above and beyond that which any actual citizen enjoys.

I don't recall the last time that an individual who killed at least 8 people and sickened thousands was asked for permission by the authorities to publicize his crimes, let alone having the right of said authorities being required to ask permission from that person before they would be allowed to take action that would prevent further harm from being done to the population at risk.  Which in this case, would of course be any American who shops for food at mainstream grocery stores...

Roaches, Mold and Leaking Roofs: FDA Provides Tour of Peanut Plant

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 13:52:23 PM PST

Sicknesses linked to this outbreak continue to grow as another confirmed case today adds to the recent spurt of cases here in Oregon -

This latest case, Oregon's eleventh, was a boy between 10 and 19 years old in Yamhill County who got sick after eating Austin Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter, said William Keene, senior epidemiologist with the state's Public Health Division.

Those crackers also sickened a boy aged 1 to 4 in Clackamas County this month. Public health officials had tests done on some of the crackers from the boy's house, which were bought at the Costco in Tigard, confirming they were contaminated with salmonella.

A summary of the FDA's observations and more news below the fold...

FDA: Ga. Peanut Company Knowingly Sold Contaminated Products, 4 Strains of Salmonella Found

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 17:42:17 PM PST

Federal officials said today that the company at the heart of the salmonella outbreak sold peanut butter or peanut paste even after tests showed it was tainted with salmonella.

The Food and Drug Administration found 12 instances in 2007 and 2008 when the Peanut Corp. of America actually identified salmonella in its own product but then put that on the market, sometimes after it was retested by a different lab that found no bacteria, said Michael Rogers, director of field investigations at the FDA.

So it also appears that Peanut Corporation of America was shopping around for a lab that would give it the results it wanted, after initially finding salmonella contamination in its own products.  We'll find out much more soon, as FDA will be releasing the full findings of its investigation online tomorrow.

Three additional strains of salmonella have also been found during the investigation.  More below the fold...

NY Times: Ga. Peanut Plant "Cited Repeatedly" For Unsanitary Conditions

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Mon Jan 26, 2009 at 12:58:03 PM PST

The processing plant in Georgia that produced peanut butter tainted by salmonella has a history of sanitation lapses and was cited repeatedly in 2006 and 2007 for having dirty surfaces and walls and grease residue and dirt build-up throughout the plant, according to state health inspection reports.

Inspections of the plant in Blakely, Ga., by the state agriculture department found areas of rust that could flake into food, gaps in warehouse doors large enough for rodents to get through, unmarked spray bottles and containers, and numerous violations of other practices designed to prevent food contamination. The plant, owned by Peanut Corporation of America of Lynchburg, Va., has been shut down.

A typical entry from an inspection report, dated Aug. 23, 2007, noted: "The food-contact surfaces of re-work kettle in the butter room department were not properly cleaned and sanitized." Additional entries noted: "The food-contact surfaces of the bulk oil roast transfer belt in the mezzazine [sic] room were not properly cleaned and sanitized. The food-contact surfaces of pan without wheels in the blanching department were not properly cleaned and sanitized."

The New York Times obtained the information from the Georgia State Department of Agriculture under the state's open records act.  There are also two reports from 2008 inspections that were not released due to the ongoing investigation.  Might be interesting to see what was in those reports...

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.

And The Peanut Butter Recall Goes On...

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Tue Jan 20, 2009 at 06:28:39 AM PST

Tuesday morning, and the list of recalled contaminated products continues to grow -

Late Monday, Safeway said some of the products it makes, including Ready Pack Eating Right Kids Apples with Peanut Butter and Orchard Valley Harvest's Organic Bark Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream, may use peanut butter involved in the recall and asked customers to throw them out or return them to the store for a full refund.

This appears to only be the beginning.

A few more specific products to avoid listed below the fold...

Pet Food Recall: Pedigree Tainted with Salmonella

by: Jill Richardson

Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 10:00:00 AM PDT