What a difference a few days makes. The Bush FDA never had an interest in protecting Americans. Whatever business wanted, business received. Those days of ignoring problems and relying on business to self regulate appear to be over.
The FDA reported this week that federal inspectors who visited the plant since the salmonella outbreak found roaches, mold, signs of a leaking roof and numerous other sanitation problems.
Federal officials now say the plant had a salmonella problem dating back at least to June 2007. Peanut Corp. was under no obligation to tell the FDA it was making peanut butter at the Georgia plant, the FDA said Friday.
Stephen Sundlof, head of the FDA's food safety center, said the Justice Department will investigate possible criminal violations by the Peanut Corp. plant.
The company shipped products that initially tested positive for salmonella after retesting and getting a negative result. The FDA's investigations branch will assist in the probe.
