Vol. 73/No. 9      March 9, 2009

According to reports from the Food and Drug Administration, the Peanut Corporation of America’s plant in Blakely, Georgia, shipped some peanuts before they had been tested for salmonella, others after they had tested positive for the bacteria.

Stephen Sundlof, food safety director for the Food and Drug Administration, testified February 11 that in total, Peanut Corporation “distributed potentially contaminated products to more than 300 consignee firms.”

Company e-mails from October 2008 document American Peanut owner Stewart Parnell’s response to a plant manager’s recommendation that a shipment be placed on hold because it had tested positive for salmonella.

“We need to discuss this,” Parnell responded. “The time lapse, besides the cost is costing us huge $$$$$ and causing obviously a huge lapse in time from the time we pick up the peanuts until the time we can invoice.”

On February 11 Parnell appeared before a congressional committee investigating the poisonings. He declined to answer any questions and, not surprisingly, did not respond when invited to taste peanuts his company had shipped.

On February 13 American Peanut declared bankruptcy, attempting to shield its assets from future legal claims.

In the meantime, investigation by food inspectors had turned up a host of violations in addition to salmonella—including filth, rodents, and bird feathers—at the Georgia plant and another in Texas owned by the company.

Salmonella is serious. The Center for Disease Control estimates the food-borne bacteria kills 400 people a year in the United States and sickens as many as a million more. Children are the most likely victims, followed by old people and those with “compromised” immunity systems—as is often the case with people in nursing homes.

Michael Baumann works on the beef line at Thumann’s in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1245.  
 
 
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