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Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella Outbreak

Keywords: Salmonella Peanut Butter Lawyer America 2008 Recall

The lawyers / attorneys at our firm are offering free consultations to victims of Salmonella poisoning linked to the Peanut Corp. of  America.  In January 2009, Peanut Corp. of America recalled all of  the products that had been manufactured at its Blakely, Georgia plant since 2007.  The recall was issued after those products were linked to a multi-state Salmonella outbreak that had sickened over 500 people and killed eight.

An investigation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that Peanut Corp. of America had knowingly shipped Salmonella-tainted products from the Georgia factory on a dozen occasions in 2007 and 2008.   The Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella outbreak  lawyers at our firm are committed to making sure this company is held accountable for its reprehensible conduct.
 

If you or someone you know were diagnosed with Salmonella after eating peanut butter made by Peanut Corp. of America, or any product made with ingredients supplied by this company, you may be entitled to compensation.  We urge you to contact one of our Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella outbreak lawyers right away to protect your legal rights.
 

Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella Recalls

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
 

In early 2009, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced it was tracking a multi-state Salmonella outbreak that at the time had sickened over 400 people, and had been implicated in the deaths of three.  The Salmonella strain involved in the outbreak had  by then spread to more than 40 states, and had caused nearly 20 percent of victims to be hospitalized. 
 

An important clue to the outbreak was found in a  5 pound can of tainted King Nut peanut butter found in Minnesota.  The King Nut peanut butter had been manufactured by the Peanut Corp. of  America. On January 10, King Nut Companies Inc. recalled all  of its peanut butters sold under the King Nut and Parnell Pride labels.  At the time, King Nut said it had distributed its peanut butter only through food service accounts, and it had not been sold directly to consumers.  King Nut also said it had cancelled all of its future orders with Peanut Corp. of America.
 

On January 14, Peanut Corp. of America announced a recall of all peanut butter made at its Blakely, Ga., processing facility on or after July 1, 2008 “because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.”  The recalled peanut butter was sold in bulk packages between five and 50 pounds to distributors for institutional and food service industry use.
 

On January 16, federal officials inspecting the Peanut Corp. of America facility in Georgia discovered Salmonella at the plant.  At that time, Peanut Corp. of America expanded its recall to included all peanut butter and peanut paste made at the plant  since August 2008.
 

The conditions federal investigators found at the Peanut Corp. of  America plant implicated in the Salmonella outbreak were appalling.  Inspectors reported finding roaches, mold, a leaking roof and other signs of health problems.  Four different strains of Salmonella were found at the plant.  
 

Even worse, the inspections uncovered records of 12 instances in 2007 and 2008 in which plant officials identified Salmonella in ingredients or finished products made there. The products were shipped anyway, in violation of safety regulations.  According to the inspectors, Peanut Corp. of America never took steps to correct the conditions that led to the Salmonella contamination.
 

The discovery of the extensive Salmonella problems at the Peanut Corp. of America factory prompted yet another expansion of the company's recall.  On January 28, it announced the recall would now include all peanuts and peanut products made at its Georgia factory since January 2007. By that time, the Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella outbreak had sickened over 500 people, and claimed 8 lives.
 

Other Recalls

Unfortunately, the Salmonella contamination problems at Peanut Corp. of America affected foods far beyond the company's peanut butter.  Prior to the outbreak, Peanut Corp. of America supplied peanut butter and peanut paste to 85 other food firms. As a result, dozens of companies recalled products that might have been made with Peanut Corp. of America ingredients.
 

By the end of January 2009, more than 390 different products had been recalled because of Salmonella worries.  The Kellogg Company, General Mills, Little Debbie and even the U.S. Army had pulled foods made with Peanut Corp. of America ingredients. Even then, federal health officials warned that more recalls would be coming.  As a precaution, consumers were warned to avoid any foods made with peanut butter or peanut paste unless they could be sure that it was not made with ingredients from Peanut Corp. of America.
 

Legal Help for Victims of Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella Poisoning

The lawyers at our firm are all too aware of the terrible toll Salmonella poisoning takes on victims and their families.  The outrageous conduct on the part of officials at Peanut Corp. of America needlessly exposed thousands of people to this dangerous pathogen.  It is important that this company be held accountable for the injuries it has caused.

If you or someone you love were a  victim of the Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella outbreak, you have valuable legal rights.  Please fill out our online form, or call 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636) to discuss your case with one of our experienced Peanut Corp. of America Salmonella outbreak  lawyers.