Peanut Butter Information Center: __________________ Droppings + Leaky Roof = Tainted Peanut Butter Salmonella

It has now believed that rain water from a leaky roof and bird droppings or rat droppings on the roof leaked into the ConAgra Plant in Georgia.  Then a faulty sprinkler system helped the salmonella bacteria grow and contaminate peanut butter being processed at the ConAgra Plant, sickening over 400 people nationwide. A two-month plus investigation has been ongoing searching for the cause of  the contamination.  What is believed occurred is bird droppings and/or rat droppings were deposited by rats and birds onto the roof.  Then during a recent rain the bateria was sweeped into the plant through a leaky roof.  Then once inside the salmonella continued growing within the plant, thanks to a faulty sprinkler system until this disaster occurred.

As a result, hundreds of children were sickened. ConAgra recalled all of its peanut butter in February 2007 after federal health officials linked it to cases of salmonella infection. At least 425 individuals in 44 states were sickened, and lawsuits have been filed against the company. The recall pertained to all Peter Pan peanut butter and all Great Value peanut butter made at the Sylvester plant since October 2004. The Sylvester Plant is ConAgra’s only peanut butter plant.

Con Agra plans to redesign the plant to provide greater separation between raw peanuts and the finished product. The plant will also get a new roof. The company plans to reopen the plant in early August. It should also be noted that before the recall, none of ConAgra’s recent routine testing had detected salmonella, so the company plans to develop a new procedure.  Records indicate that the Food and Drug Administration last inspected the plant in February 2005.  The agency failed to inspect the plant for almost two years after that day.

Salmonella sickens about 40,000 people a year in the U.S. and kills about 600. It can cause diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting. Often cases of salmonella poisoning are caused by undercooked eggs and chicken. The only previously known salmonella outbreak in peanut butter occurred in Australia during the mid-1990s and was blamed on unsanitary plant conditions. Hopefully, the plant maintenance will improve.

If you or a family member was sickened with the tainted peanut butter - call our Law Firm at 1-800-862-1260.