Contaminated Peanut Salmonella Cases: A Georgia Scandal

The more one reads about the problems with the products distributed by the Peanut Corporation of America, the more one realizes that there were serious management problems with that Company’s plant in Blakely, Georgia. According to published reports, when federal and state inspectors went to the plant, they found evidence of mold, leaking roofs and other unsanitary conditions. According to an FDA report, not only was there mildew on the ceiling roof of the storage room, there was also evidence of infestation by cockroaches and rodents. Subsequently, it was determined that the Company through its internal testing had, in fact, detected the presence of Salmonella in several of its product lines. These contaminated products were, nonetheless, shipped out into interstate commerce. On January 30 of this year, the Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation to get more answers about the Salmonella outbreak. Even thought the Peanut Corporation of America has now recalled all of the possible contaminated products associated with its Blakely facility, there have already been more than 8 deaths and 600 illnesses reported in 43 states arising from this scandal.
On January 27, 2009, the FDA completed its inspection of the Blakely, Georgia plant. The FDA reported that the records from the Georgia facility showed that there were 12 incidents in 2007 and 2008 where the Company had identified some type of Salmonella during its own testing procedures and yet still allowed its peanut products to be shipped out for sale. Given the FDA’s own inspection which documented numerous unsanitary conditions, and because of these internal test results, it is clear that there was a major problem with management at this facility. Obviously, this is why the government has launched a criminal investigation. Obviously, there has been an apparent lack of concern for public safety given the manner and method in which this operation was conducted.
According to the media, when the FDA initially inspected the Blakely, Georgia plant, plant officials were asked if there had been any reports of Salmonella at the facility. Repeatedly the government was told there had been none. This is extremely troubling which might be a partial basis of the criminal investigation. (It is a federal crime to make false statements to federal investigators and from media reports it appears that such a crime may have occurred.) Of course, all the facts are not in yet and no indictment has yet been returned against anyone. Nonetheless, the public reports concerning the Peanut Corporation of America’s Blakely, Georgia facility are troubling to say the least.
As of February of this year, over 1,500 peanut products have now been recalled because of the nationwide Salmonella outbreak associated with this facility. Until further testing is done by the Centers for Disease Control, it is not yet clear just how many of these 1,500 products were contaminated. What is clear is that there was a major problem with Quality Assurance at this facility which apparently has lead to many deaths and hundreds of illnesses across the country. Thus, not only is a criminal investigation fully warranted by these facts, it is likely that there will be considerable litigation against the Peanut Corporation of America by the innocent victims of these unsafe products.

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