thank you, Steve.  That is good to see the info in this format. I appreciate it.

My husband eats a  lot of peanut butter and just had a severe case of flu. I thought it might be this until I got it and I haven't eaten any peanut butter in months.  We are in California.

Charlotte

Quote:



Hmmmm... after finding salmonella 12 times and not doing anything about it... and thus causing injury and or death... perhaps we should let China's govt. deal with these idiots.



with warm regards,
Tony

Recall of Peanut-Containing Products:
Salmonella Typhimurium
Updated: January 31, 2009

Update on FDA's Investigation
January 30, 2009:  A combination of epidemiological analysis and laboratory testing by state officials in Minnesota and Connecticut, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enabled FDA to confirm that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant.

Peanut butter is sold by PCA in bulk containers ranging in size from five (5) to 1,700 pounds.  The peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container.  Neither of these products is sold directly to consumers.
However, through its investigation, FDA has determined that PCA distributed potentially contaminated product to more than 100 consignee firms, for use as an ingredient in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream.
FDA initiated an inspection of PCA’s Blakely plant on January 9 shortly after learning that this firm might be linked to the ongoing Salmonella outbreak.  FDA finished its inspection on January 27.  A list of problems observed by FDA investigators during their inspection is available at this link: Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or .  This list is not a final agency determination regarding compliance.  The deficiencies observed indicate that the plant was not compliant with Current Good Manufacturing Practices required by the FDA. These deficiencies are related to cleaning programs and procedures as well as failure to implement steps to mitigate Salmonella contamination in the facility.

On January 29, PCA issued an expanded voluntary recall of all peanuts and peanut products processed in its Blakely, Georgia facility since January 1, 2007.  The expanded recall includes all peanuts (dry and oil roasted), granulated peanuts, peanut meal, peanut butter and peanut paste.  All of the recalled peanuts and peanut products were made only at the company’s Blakely, Georgia facility.

On January 30, FDA confirmed that FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations is involved in a Justice Department investigation of PCA.

FDA has been working with the company and purchasers of PCA's peanut butter and peanut paste to identify affected products and facilitate their removal from the market.  FDA and state officials have visited in excess of 1,000 firms who purchased PCA products.  Now, the same type of work is continuing and includes the additional products in the expanded recall.

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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about the Recent Salmonella Outbreak
Updated: January 28, 2009

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PCA Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Peanut Corporation of America
Phone: 1-877-564-7080
Statement by the Parnell Family and Peanut Corporation of America (PCA)
Lynchburg, VA (January 28, 2009) – “The goal of Peanut Corporation of America over the past 33 years has always been to follow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s good manufacturing practices in order to provide a safe product for consumers.

It is because of our commitment to our customers and consumers that PCA has taken extraordinary measures to identify and recall all products that have been identified as presenting a potential risk.

PCA will remain vigilant to the recall process until we know all potentially harmful products have been pulled from store shelves and families have all the necessary information to remove recalled products from their homes. We are also working to identify those additional measures that will make our manufacturing process more effective in meeting federal and state guidelines and producing a safe product.

PCA uses only two highly reputable labs for product testing and they are widely used by the industry and employ good laboratory practices. PCA categorically denies any allegations that the Company sought favorable results from any lab in order to ship its products.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the FD-483 documents posted today by the FDA quote: “… do not represent a final Agency determination regarding [your] compliance. If you have implemented, or plan to implement, corrective action in response to an observation... you may submit this information to FDA." During the recent two-week FDA onsite investigation at the Blakely, Georgia plant, the company did take corrective action, where possible. PCA does not agree with all the observations noted, and there are some inaccuracies. Therefore, it will respond in writing to the FDA.

To any consumers affected by these issues, to the food industry and to peanut consumers everywhere, we are sorry our process fell short of not only our goals, but more importantly, your expectations. We understand the seriousness of the situation that our company faces with the current product recall crisis and we deeply regret that these circumstances are causing distress to our consumers, our customers and our employees.

We want our customers and consumers to know that we are continuing to work day and night with the FDA and other officials to determine the source of the problem and ensure that it never happens again.”

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Peanut Corporation of America Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut Products
PCA Announces the Voluntary Recall of All Peanuts and Peanut Products Shipped from Georgia Plant
Lynchburg, Va. (January 28, 2009) - Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) is voluntarily recalling all peanuts and peanut products processed in its Blakely, Georgia facility since Jan. 1, 2007. Previously, PCA announced a recall of peanut butter and peanut paste. PCA sells its products to institutional and industrial users for service in large institutions or for sale and further
processing by other companies. PCA does not sell peanuts or peanut products directly to consumers in stores.

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