Infection Control

FDA says peanut products were sold before test results

Infection Control Weekly Monitor, February 11, 2009

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A new report from the FDA says Peanut Corp. of America (PCA)—the company tied to the current Salmonella outbreak—shipped products before receiving the results of any Salmonella test, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP).

This is an amendment to the original report that claimed the company shipped peanut products from its facility in Blakely, GA, after getting an initial positive Salmonella test, and then a second negative test. The new report still includes two cases, on July 18 and 24, 2007, where PCA shipped products with a positive test.

The initial report was based on statements from the company’s management, but after a harder look at documents provided during the inspection, the agency determined the information did not match up.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has also suspended business with PCA and the federal government for at least a year. PCA products had previously been used in USDA-supported school lunch programs in California, Idaho, and Minnesota.

As of February 9, the CDC reported 600 cases of Salmonella in 44 states, with the most recent illness on January 23.



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