It seems a bit crazy for the FDA to bother with regulating food and drugs since industry has done such an excellent job with self regulation, but sure, give it a try and see what happens. How could anything possibly be any better than the years of self regulation that the GOP sold to America? It worked for food, pharmaceuticals and Wall Street, didn't it?
A Georgia peanut plant knowingly shipped salmonella-laced products as far back as 2007, at times sending out tainted products after tests confirmed contamination, according to inspection records released Friday.
Food and Drug Administration officials earlier had said Peanut Corp. of America waited for a second test to clear peanut butter and peanuts that initially were positive for salmonella. But the agency amended its report Friday, noting that the Blakely, Ga., plant actually shipped some products before receiving the second test and sold others after confirming salmonella.
Federal law forbids producing or shipping foods under conditions that could make it harmful to consumers' health.
In 2007 the company shipped chopped peanuts on July 18 and 24 after salmonella was confirmed by private lab tests. Peanut Corp. sold products "on or after the positive salmonella results were obtained," the FDA report states.
In other cases, the company didn't wait for a second round of salmonella tests.
"In some instances, peanut products were shipped by (the company) prior to having assurance that the products were negative for salmonella," said Michael Rogers, head of field investigations for the FDA.
