FDA Did Little to Prevent Salmonella Outbreak

Talk about another failure of the FDA!  The FDA knew of the potential for salmonella at the Peanut Corporation in Blakely, Georgia.

Of course, the FDA is blaming the plant but what did the FDA do to prevent the salmonella outbreak?  Nothing.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said at least 12 times over the past two years the Peanut Corporation of America has knowingly sold products that had tested positive for salmonella.

Pointing fingers, the FDA blames the Peanut Corporation of America.  However…

The FDA also claimed the company did nothing to improve its manufacturing and sanitation practices after salmonella was found in its plant, and that is a clear violation of the law.

The Peanut Corporation of America is clearly in violation of the law.  However, if the FDA did inspections why did they not follow up?

The health-inspection violations at the now-closed Blakely, Ga., plant, owned by Peanut Corp. of America, date back to 2006 and include dirty surfaces, grease residue, and gaps in warehouse doors that could allow rodents to gain entry to the plant, The New York Times reported.

According to the Times, a typical entry in an inspection report from Aug. 23, 2007, said: “The food-contact surfaces of re-work kettle in the butter room department were not properly cleaned and sanitized.” Other entries said: “The food-contact surfaces of the bulk oil roast transfer belt” in one room “were not properly cleaned and sanitized. The food-contact surfaces of pan without wheels in the blanching department were not properly cleaned and sanitized.”

The question remains.  Why did the FDA do nothing to prevent the salmonella outbreak?  If anything, once again we are faced with the reality that the FDA does nothing to protect the American consumer.  Perhaps someone should tell them that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Tagged as: FDA, Peanut Corporation of America, Salmonella