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Food and Drug Administration officials called for a recall of all products containing peanut butter, peanut paste and peanut oil manufactured since Jan. 1, 2007 at the Blakely, Ga., processing center operated by Peanut Corp. of America.
That could vastly increase the number of recalled food and other products in the nation’s consumer supply.
Additional strains of salmonella also have been detected at the plant, although federal officials emphasized they have confirmed no illnesses beyond those associated with the current Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak.
"The outbreak is still ongoing and has decreased modestly even as the number of recalls have gone up,” said Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director, of the division of foodborne, bacterial and mycotic diseases in the National Center for Zoonotic Vectorborne and Enteric Diseases.
More than 500 people have gotten sick in the outbreak, which has been linked to at least eight deaths. More than 400 products containing peanut butter or peanut paste have been recalled so far. They range from Asian-style cooking sauces, to ice cream, to dog treats.
“It’s among the largest recalls that we’ve had,” said Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “We don’t have a good idea how much of that product is still out there.”
The FDA has set up a searchable Web site that identifies recalled products. People without internet access can call the CDC information line at 1-800-CDC-INFO.
Jarred peanut butter still likely safe
Major national manufacturers of peanut butter say they did not purchase products from PCA, so jarred peanut butter still appears to be safe, said Sundlof.
“People should not be concerned about national name brand peanut butter in jars in stores.”
Wednesday's recall follows reports by federal inspectors that salmonella had been found previously at least 12 times in products made at the plant. Inspectors found that the tainted peanut products were retested, then shipped to customers.
That happened as recently as September. A month later, health officials started picking up signals of the salmonella outbreak, which now has been linked to at least eight deaths.
Peanut Corp. of America’s plant in Blakely, Ga., had 10 separate problem areas, Food and Drug Administration inspectors said in a report posted on the Internet.
Missed warning signs
FDA officials declined to say how agency investigators missed warning signs at the plant, such as mold, dripping water and other problems that indicated the plant may have been susceptible to contamination.
The FDA's inspection report noted that the plant lacked adequate facilities for hand washing, and that a sink located in the peanut butter room was used interchangeably for cleaning hands, utensils and washing out mops.
“I can’t speculate on what a given inspector knows,” said Donald Zink, acting senior science advisor for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
FDA officials say it's too early to say what action will be taken against Peanut Corp. of America. The agency says it is preparing a report of findings on the plant and the company will be allowed to respond.
The FDA's Michael Rogers told reporters on Wednesday that the agency has a number of regulatory options available. He declined to elaborate.
Earlier, a senior lawmaker in Washington and Georgia's agriculture commissioner called for a criminal investigation of the plant.
Posted by Utah Salmonella Food Poison and Personal Injury Law Firm and Attorney Dustin Lance
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