Federal Investigators Say Plant knew Peanut Butter was Contaminated!

Thursday, February, 19

The picture to the left shows the peanut plant, Peanut Corporation of America in Blakely, Ga., which federal investigators say knew that the peanut butter manufactured in their plant was contaminated. It is a shame that in the United States large companies would try to skip out on making the best products containing salmonella. It will cost them more money in lawsuits than it would have to make the product salmonella free and start over. It might not be that simple though. According to a New York Times article, investigators said that the plant had mold growing on the ceilings and walls as well as foot long gaps in the roof. It is hard to believe that someone either failed to inspect this plant properly, or that the plant just failed to make necessary changes because of costs.

This has not just affected a few people and given them minor sickness, it has affected over 500 people in 43 different states and eight people have died. It sickens me to hear that they knew of the contamination prior to shipping their products and people lost their lives because a company was not doing their proper job. This is worse than an executive from a company embezzling money or evading their taxes for years. There is nothing more precious than life itself, and families lost relatives because of this company failing to do a proper job. There were as many as 12 times when the plant knew from their own tests that the products were contaminated from 2007 to 2008. Their desire for profit led to a disregard for people's health and well being by continuing to disperse these food items. This turns into a murder case, not just white collar crime. white collar crime has to led to murder many times. (Historically, it has often had physical consequences). It would be one thing if the plant had no idea beforehand but to knowingly send out something that has salmonella or has a good chance to have it is atrocious. The results of the products led to a recall of many products with ties to this plant. The plant was in terrible condition, allegedly with signs of rust that could get into the food and, areas where rodents could enter the plant. I hope justice is served in this case.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/us/29Peanut.html

Sources: New York Times