F.D.A. Critical of Peanut Butter Plant
The plant in Georgia that produced the tainted peanut butter tied to a deadly, nationwide salmonella outbreak had reason to believe that some batches of its products were contaminated with strains of the bacteria but shipped them anyway, federal officials said.
The company that owns the plant, the Peanut Corporation of America, based in Lynchburg, Va., had found on at least 12 occasions in 2007 and 2008 that samples of its peanut butter and peanut paste contained salmonella, the Food and Drug Administration said. But rather than destroy the tainted batches and take other remedial action, the agency said, the company in some instances sought out additional tests from private laboratories. When those additional tests came back negative, the company shipped out the products to manufacturers across the country, the agency said.
Agency officials said that the company should have cleaned its facilities after its discoveries, and called its decision to ship the contaminated products a violation of good manufacturing practices. The agency is expected to post the findings of its investigation on its Web site on Wednesday.
If this is the standards for the peanut industry then how do we know all peanut butter isn’t bad? Just because they haven’t been caught yet? 43 states are reporting salmonella in peanut products. If we boycot all peanut butter we will force the peanut butter industry to beg for regulation and testing. Any industry that ignores the health and safety of the consumer deserves punishment.
Now all the people with peanut allergies are pointing their fingers at us and laughing, “Ha ha! Now you know what it’s like to not be able to enjoy the smooth, creamy, nutty delicacy of peanut butter.”
Hey Fusion,
I happen to love good tap water. Always have. Even the fluoridated kind. And, I agree, no carbon, but it isn’t exactly food. And I am far, far from a right wing nutjob.
I also recommend that you read up on the food and drug act. The media frenzy over the schlocky meatpacking and bogus patent medicine sellers prompted the “good guys” of those industries to clamor for regulation in order to protect THEIR interest.
And, while I’m at it, anyone who thinks that the banking industry was either not regulated or self regulating is just plain delusional. Banking is one of the most heavily regulated businesses in the United States. The regulators simply were not doing their jobs, particularly in the area of risk assesment. When you guarantee deposits, it is your responsibility to make sure they are backed by sound assets.
Finally, who said anything about self regulation? I recommended independent testing by reputable firms. Every hear of Underwriter’s Laboratories? That’s the idea. But if you prefer, the LAPD crime lab could use some work…
So it’s just jelly time now?
you know I’ve heard this a few times over the past week but I only remember after I ate some pb cookies or a pb and j sandwich
#22, Dave,
I also recommend that you read up on the food and drug act. The media frenzy over the schlocky meatpacking and bogus patent medicine sellers prompted the “good guys” of those industries to clamor for regulation in order to protect THEIR interest.
There was no industry clamoring for regulation.
Of course, if you have some references that contradict this, please port them.
And, while I’m at it, anyone who thinks that the banking industry was either not regulated or self regulating is just plain delusional. Banking is one of the most heavily regulated businesses in the United States.
It was. Then Phil Gramm had his Republican buddies do away with much of the regulation. Bush did away with the oversight. Also, private banks and investment banks are (were?) not regulated during Bushes Administration. They are the ones that created the “toxic” paper they sold to other banks.
#25, “It was. Then Phil Gramm had his Republican buddies do away with much of the regulation. Bush did away with the oversight. Also, private banks and investment banks are (were?) not regulated during Bushes Administration. They are the ones that created the “toxic” paper they sold to other banks.”
State banks are regulated by the state in which they are chartered. If they take on FDIC insurance, then that organization has something to do with the matter. Likewise, if they are members of the Federal Reserve System, then the Fed can also be counted as a regulator. State banks are not required to be involved with either of the two, and it was only in recent decades that state banks are even required to hold their reserves at the Fed, member or not.
Federally chartered banks are required to be members of these institutions and are subject to the regulation, but state banks are not federal banks and there are many more of the former than there are of the latter, and there is still a decent percentage that are not federally regulated.
To the topic of regulation, a good share of the regulation that has existed in the banking industry existed for no other reason than to stymie competition between local banks (branching prohibitions), competition between banks across state lines or as an act of the federal government to squeeze out the state banks all together in favor of federally chartered ones. We’ve had plenty of these gems over the years, like the one that prohibits interest payments on checking accounts, that had been imposed on the industry for no valid reason where consumer protection goes. And people act surprised when the industries devise ways to get around them.
#26, SL,
All 50 States require State Chartered banks to be insured by the FDIC. So all banks are regulated by the FDIC.
Federally Chartered Banks are regulated by the OCC.
For no interest on checking accounts, I have no knowledge of that rule.
For a short look at Phil Gramm, part of the reason the Republicans and McCain lost in November. And a big reason why America is in a depression.
#27, It is illegal to pay interest on checking accounts for member banks of the Federal Reserve. What people call checking accounts are actually Negotiable Order of Withdrawal accounts and were devised as a way around the rule. None of this is important in effect, except that is serves as an easy example of regulations designed solely for the purpose of deterring competition.
Christmas before last I bought 4 small jars of Peter Pan here in Spain (where peanutbutters hard to find) – I have a tradition of making peanutbutter cookies at christmas time. Made a couple hundred cookies, that were delish as always. Until, I saw an article and checked a list, and it turns out the jars I bought were all on a recall list. Thank God no one got hurt, maybe those jars weren’t infected, maybe my oven disinfected them. I happend across the article quite by accident, no effort was made to announce a recall here. I tried contacting them and got the royal runaround. I guess it wasn’t intentional, if you’re gonna eat indutrially processed foods your gonna take your chances. Still, why bother with having an FDA if it has no legal muscle, or isn’t willing to use it.
#28, SL,
Federally Chartered banks belong to the Federal Reserve. State Chartered banks come under the FDIC. I have a plainly marked checking account that does pay interest in a State Chartered bank.
I don’t disagree with you that there might be some regulation about paying interest on checking accounts. What I don’t see is the reason for it or who it would apply to. Of course your whole point is the “reason” or lack of.
Mr. Fusion,
Listeria, which the regulation I was referring to in it original form would have prevented you from having in your plant, is endemic. It is a whole variety of bugs. YOU CAN’T GET RID OF IT! Most listeria don’t do a single harmful thing to you. But a few do. Because it’s endemic you very likely have it on you right now on your clothes or skin. But only a few types of listeria are actually harmful. The regulation should have originally been written to cover only those types of listeria.
Say, you’re working with crab meat. You are charged with eliminating listeria entirely from your plant. Well, when the testers come by and walk into the plant, even if they walk through a mat filled with quat, they’ll have it on them and contaminate the environment. So, when they tested, they find listeria and you’re out of business. Did they find monocytogenes? No. Did they find cholera? No. Did they find any bug that will actually harm you? No. Was your facility clean? Yes. Did you fail the health inspection? FDA: yes. Scientist with knowledge: no. But you’re out of business because of a poorly written regulation.
So, please try to understand basic science before you yell B*llsh*t at me, blowhard. People like you are part of the reason media now goes for yellow journalism and sensationalism instead of reporting facts. You let the wool get pulled over your eyes then don’t investigate or use your brain. Shame on you.
I used this example to point out that the FDA now polices on incomplete evidence and scientific knowledge. Not all the time but some of the time. You see, what’s driving it sometimes is politics and the need to make an example of someone/a company rather than facts and evidence. This probably IS NOT the case with the peanut butter company. And besides, I’m no big business promoter, just the reverse. But intelligent standards should be made, NOT scientifically impossible to reach standards. And food is a very biologically active product. The best stuff is never made in a sterile environment only relatively sterile. It’s like canning things. Some things need to be fairly sterile while other things better not be or you end up with junk. Don’t eat that live culture yogurt ’cause you’ll get a bacteria in you! YIKES! Or that sausage, or that beer or that vinegar.
And you owe me an apology.
#31, gm,
Say, you’re working with crab meat. You are charged with eliminating listeria entirely from your plant …
Everyday plants package crab meat as well as thousands of other food products in listeria free environments. If you are incapable of properly cleaning the facility then maybe you should find another line of work. Don’t give me the crap “well, it is endemic, we can’t eradicate it”.
Since you worked in Quality Control maybe you understand a little history. 40 years ago some Ford executive decided that the placement of the gas tank would remain where it was even though it could explode if rear ended. A study was conducted on the cost / benefit of lives lost vs the cost of retooling for safety.
Well, the problem came about that some passengers in one of those cars were rear ended. They weren’t killed. They were horribly burned though. And they sued. And they won big, real big. When the Appeal Court handed down their decision they were quite explicit in condemning the concept that people’s lives could be reduced to numbers on a balance sheet.
In short, if you aren’t competent to do the job then get out of the way and let someone that can do it. It is too hard is not a legal defense.
#31, gm,
The best stuff is never made in a sterile environment only relatively sterile.
Oh, really? For an example let us take your yogurt. Yes, it does have bacteria in it. Specific bacteria though. It is not some random salmonella or typhus. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are the two most common yogurt cultures. If another bacteria is added the culture would spoil and the yogurt would be bad.
Beer? You want to add something besides the yeast to the batch? Ya right, Either you don’t drink beer or don’t care what you do drink.
Home canning? I’ve been canning my own fruits for several years now. The only, and I said ONLY one I’ve ever lost is ONE jar of spaghetti sauce that lost its seal. But I follow the recommended instructions for home canning. Of course my kitchen doesn’t meet health standards of cleanliness. But then my preserves are not for sale; I, along with my family eat them.
I was going to stick my tongue firmly in my cheek and write something like:
“See? This proves that de-regulation is the way to go and the Free Market will correct all ills and – - – oh, wait…”
But someone beat me to it when # 12 Dave W said, in part:
“The last time an industry cried out for regulation, we got the Pure Food and Drug Act, with all the damage it has caused over the past century or so.”
Yes, damage like the millions of kids who made it to adulthood because they weren’t fed contaminated, watered-down, laced-with-chalk (or melamine) milk.
He added:
“Better would be ongoing testing and certification by a well respected testing firm. Publish the most recent results on your label.”
I’m sure the labs where the company sent samples of their contaminated batches for a clean bill of health are “well respected,” at least by companies to whom profits are paramount.
I’m not arguing that profits are evil; selling for profit is part of human nature; commerce is as old as language; but squeezing out an extra 0.0043% at the cost of avoidable sickness and death is.
the world is a scary place greed and ignorance rule for now ….but i have been a total vegi for 45years yes 45years time to watch and change harry