Photo courtesy of Fiery-Foods.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Peanut Corporation of America has distributed potentially contaminated products to more than 100 consignee firms for use as ingredients in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy, ice cream, and pet food, according to the latest information released in the investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All of the PCA’s affected peanut products were made at the company’s Blakely, Ga. facility, which is no longer in operation. The FDA has been working with the company and purchasers to identify affected products and facilitate their removal from the market. Affected products are those that were produced between January 1, 2007 to the present. “More than 400 products at this time” have been recalled, said FDA Dr. Stephen Sundlof. Concerned consumers can check the FDA’s new peanut products recall webpage to check and see if they have purchased any contaminated products. In contrast, Dr. Sundlof reassures that the “national name brand peanut butter that you purchase at retail is safe. We have assurance from those major manufacturers that they do not source any of their materials from the PCA.” FDA has collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health officials in various states to investigate the multi-state outbreak of human infections due to Salmonella Typhimurium. The CDC states that “most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12–72 hours after infection. Infection is usually diagnosed by culture of a stool sample. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. “Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections may occur. Infants, elderly persons, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. When severe infection occurs, Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.” The CDC states that from September 2008 to the present, “600 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 44 states.” The FDA reports that currently “a criminal investigation of PCA is underway.” During an inspection period from January 1, 2009 to February 5, 2009, the FDA made 10 formal observations. Among them were the following: