By Jennifer Lance •
February 13, 2009
Peanut Corp. of America executives have taken the Fifth Amendment in the peanut butter recall scandal.
The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution protects us from self-incrimination:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
When asked to testify Wednesday before the House committee hearing on the salmonella peanut butter contamination, Peanut Corporation officials followed legal advice to avoid possible self-incrimination and stayed home. Specifically, Stewart Parnell, president of the Peanut Corporation of America, and plant manager Sammy Lightsey are under investigation about the notification they received last fall by a private lab that their products tested positive for salmonella.
By Derek Markham •
February 7, 2009
With the headlines full of peanut butter recalls and salmonella outbreaks, many people are skipping the Skippy and jetting past the Jif, sending peanut butter sales down 25%. Manufacturers are now spreading ad campaigns and giving out coupons, trying to reassure consumers that eating their products is safe.
By Jennifer Lance •
February 6, 2009
The salmonella contaminated peanut butter recall has been in the news for weeks, yet recently it has been discovered that the federal government sent potentially tainted peanut butter and roasted peanuts to schools in California, Minnesota and Idaho in 2007. It is unclear how much of this product remains in schools.
Yesterday, the Department of Agriculture suspended all business with Peanut Corp. of America, and schools are checking cafeterias and vending machines for old stock. David Shipman, acting administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service stated Peanut Corp. “lacks business integrity and business honesty, which seriously and directly hinders its ability to do business with the federal government.”
By Derek Markham •
January 29, 2009
Uncle Eddie’s Vegan Cookies is the latest victim of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak, recalling its über-delicious Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies because they contain peanut butter supplied by Peanut Corporation of America.
The recent Salmonella outbreak initially seemed to be confined to the mainstream food system, but with the recall of Clif and Luna bars, people are starting to realize that just because you buy natural foods, you aren’t any safer from some inherent weaknesses in our supply chain.
When a product from one factory can infect hundreds, possibly thousands, of people all over the country, our reach is too big. We can’t possibly be ensured of the safety of our food with a system like ours.
By Jennifer Kaplan •
January 29, 2009
This morning while following the increasingly far reaching peanut butter recall, I went to the FDA’s Peanut Butter Recall Searchable Database. I was overwhelmed. Too many links, too many products. Then I saw that the FDA had posted an FDA Recalls link for Twitter automatic updates.
By Jennifer Lance •
January 28, 2009
As if salmonella wasn’t enough to cause the massive peanut butter recall, federal inspectors have found mold, cockroaches, and a leaky roof at the Blakely, Georgia plant owned by Peanut Corp. of America (PCA).
The peanut butter recall has been expanded to include all products PCA products from 2007 on. Over 400 products have been recalled including ice cream, Asian sauces, and dog biscuits. Even a few organic products are on the recall list.
By Mary Casper •
January 28, 2009
With each of the recent salmonella outbreaks, I seem to develop a mysterious, if wholly unfounded, distaste for the culprit in all its manifestations. When it was spinach, I switched my salad to Caesar and stocked up on romaine. Then with tomatoes, I let my sandwiches suffice with crunchy cucumber instead. Despite the guidelines that usually accompany a recall, I’m happier to just abstain from the afflicted species for awhile until the buzz dies down
Now with peanut butter on the outs, you may find yourself seeking a B-list nut butter just to be safe. Technically speaking, jars of peanut butter are still in the clear. The thing is, peanut butter is already the lowliest of the nut butters and actually a legume butter, despite its popularity in the American market. So consider this latest epidemic an opportunity, if you will. If you’re with me, I’d like to introduce you to a more sophisticated escort to that jam in your sandwich: butter from almonds.
By Jennifer Lance •
January 23, 2009
I’m usually not phased by food recalls, including the recent peanut butter recall, because they rarely affect natural food companies. I don’t eat Little Debbie crap, and I certainly don’t eat Keebler products.
Today, however, I discovered a natural, organic product I occasionally eat on the peanut butter recall list: Clif Bars.
By Jennifer Lance •
January 19, 2009
I would never in a million years feed my children Little Debbie products, but I remember eating them as a child.
Yesterday, Little Debbie announced the recall of its snack products containing peanut butter due to concerns of salmonella contamination.
Salmonella can be deadly, especially to children, and the company has responded with a voluntary recall of cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods with peanut butter. The focus of the recall is peanut paste, in addition to peanut butter, produced at Peanut Corp.’s Blakely, Ga., facility. The peanut paste, made from roasted peanuts, which is often an ingredient in cookies, cakes and other products. Little Debbie has included its Peanut Butter Cheese sandwich cookies and Peanut Butter Toasty sandwich crackers in the recall.
