The number of salmonella infections has climbed to 637 patients across 44 states, all linked to contamination from Peanut Corp. of America products.
As the New York Times has reported, PCA has filed for bankruptcy, its organic certification has come under fire, and company emails show management’s disregard for consumer health.
“The current salmonellosis outbreak from peanut butter, along with other recent outbreaks, demonstrates clearly that our current system of food safety has fundamental flaws requiring congressional and executive action,” says Mickey Parrish, PhD, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture.
“The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is grossly understaffed and underfunded and unable to consistently fulfill regulatory and congressional mandates,” he explains. “Dedicated FDA employees cannot state this type of discord publicly, of course; however, it is obvious to those of us who are familiar with CFSAN that it suffers from a decade or more of neglect at the hands of the executive branch, Congress and FDA administrators who do not have the appropriate backgrounds to understand food contamination issues.
“In addition to this severe lack of resources,” he adds, “FDA’s regulatory authority is limited and based upon an old statute (1938 Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act) that is in great need of revision to address problems such as lack of mandatory recall. Until Congress and the President provide FDA with adequate resources and regulatory authority, the public should not be surprised when news of yet another foodborne disease outbreak occurs.”
One of Dr. Parrish’s colleagues offers further insights.
“The current problem of salmonella in peanuts can be traced back to the Reagan presidency, when a nationwide climate of deregulation began,” says Mark Kantor, PhD, an associate professor of nutrition and food safety. “However, today’s economic crisis is dramatic evidence of what can happen when government regulations become too lax. We need sensible regulations to protect consumers, including more frequent inspections and stiffer fines when violations are found—but first Congress needs to provide the regulatory agencies with adequate resources to get the job done.
“This peanut outbreak is inexcusable,” Dr. Kantor continues, “because it was already crystal clear to government and industry that peanuts could be a source of foodborne pathogens, as commercial peanut butter containing salmonella was recalled in 2007. This company decided to continue producing and selling a product it knew was contaminated because it obviously felt it could get away with it. We have problems like this because pathogens like salmonella are naturally present in the environment, which means that a conscious effort must be made to keep them out of food and to minimize their growth. Proper sanitation is part of the solution. The problem is especially difficult when a food becomes contaminated and is not subjected to a heat treatment that will destroy the pathogens; we have seen this happen repeatedly with raw vegetables.
“The bottom line,” he concludes, “is that all food companies need to make safety a top priority—all of the time—and to never sacrifice safety for profits.”
New Recalls (Organic and Natural Foods)
- Cascadian Farm Snack Bars
- Balance Bars (Honey Peanut)
- Aurora Organic Peanuts
- Whole Foods Market bulk items
We could go as far as saying that food safety flaws go against Organic Laws (you should check out Organic Laws on wikipedia and find some interesting things!)
Promoting the General Welfare…
Peanut Corporation of America may have poisoned over 630 Americans before going bankrupt this past weekend—because no one was paying attention. Last fall melamine got into baby formula because no one was watching; now salmonella-tainted peanuts r…
[...] spinach. In 2008, it was salmonella in peppers and possibly tomatoes. And just this year, bad peanut products led to hundreds of illnesses and cost nine people their lives—a painful reminder of how tragic [...]
I have heard about people getting poisoned by consuming peanut butter, can you please tell me what are organic laws for food safety.
[...] Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the frail or elderly, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, salmonella infection can reach the bloodstream, producing more severe illnesses. Related Posts :Natural Balance Issues Dog Food RecallPacoima, Calif.-based Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc., a manufacturer of natural and organic pet foods, is voluntarily recalling its Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food because it may be contaminated with salmonella. The affected products, sold in 5- and 28-lb. bags, have a “Best By” date of June 17, 2011. During… Read: Natural Balance Issues Dog Food RecallSalmonella Outbreak Hits 42 StatesThe CDC, FDA, Department of Agriculture and state public-health officials are working together to determine the cause of an ongoing salmonella outbreak that has affected people in 42 states. As of Friday, 399 cases of infection were reported between Sept. 3 and Dec. 31, with most illnesses beginning after Oct. 1…. Read: Salmonella Outbreak Hits 42 StatesOrganic Sprouts Recalled in NortheastBridgeport, CT-based Specialty Farms, LLC, is voluntarily recalling its Organic Alfalfa Sprouts Blend (UPC code 8192400108) and Organic Sprout Salad (UPC code 8192400024) because they may be contaminated with the bacterium Listeria Monocytogenes (Lm). The products have a sell-by date of 7/26/2010 and are sold in 4-oz. plastic containers. Lm can cause… Read: Organic Sprouts Recalled in NortheastAre Tomatoes to Blame for the Recent Salmonella Outbreak?The short answer to today's headline is maybe. The CDC is working with public health officials in many states, the Indian Health Service and the FDA to investigate the multistate outbreak of salmonella infections. Initial investigations comparing foods eaten by affected and nonaffected individuals identified raw tomatoes as the likely culprit, but recent … Read: Are Tomatoes to Blame for the Recent Salmonella Outbreak?Fresh Express Recalls Romaine-Based SaladsAnd the salmonella hits just keep on comin’… Two recent recalls—romaine lettuce and alfalfa sprouts—were bad enough, but we have a new one to report: Salinas, Calif.-based Fresh Express just announced a salmonella-related recall of specific Fresh Express romaine-based, ready-to-eat salads. Affected products have expiration dates of May 13 through May 16,… Read: Fresh Express Recalls Romaine-Based Salads #oa_related { background-color:#FFFFFF;color:#669933;font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", Serif;} .oabox_image { border:3px solid #D0F0D0; margin: 3px 3px 3px 0; width:100px; max-height:100px; float:left; } #oa_related a { color: #FF8033; text-decoration: none; } #oa_related a:visited, a:active { color: #FF8033; text-decoration: none; } #oa_related a:hover{ color: #FF8033; text-decoration:underline } #oa_related p { margin: 3px 3px 6px 3px; } #oa_related .item { margin:1px 0px 1px 0px; padding:2px 0px 2px 5px; width:98%; border-top:#D0F0D0 solid 3px; } [...]
[...] Del Monte Fresh Produce has recalled certain cantaloupes that were grown in and shipped from Arizona, but distributed to limited customers in and around Detroit. The melons may be contaminated with salmonella. [...]