"FDA halts operations at peanut butter plant " (Mostly Organic PB producer)

[KoKo]

Source: AP

FDA halts operations at peanut butter plant
By MARY CLARE JALONICK | Associated Press – 10 hrs ago

During a month-long investigation, after the outbreak linked to processor Sunland and to Trader Joe's, FDA inspectors found samples of salmonella in 28 different locations in the plant, in 13 nut butter samples and in one sample of raw peanuts.

The agency also found improper handling of the products, unclean equipment and uncovered trailers of peanuts outside the facility that were exposed to rain and birds.

The FDA said that over the past three years, the company shipped products even though portions of their lots, or daily production runs, tested positive for salmonella in internal tests. The agency also found that the internal tests failed to find salmonella when it was present.

FDA inspectors found many of the same problems — including employees putting their bare fingers in empty jars before they were filled, open bags of ingredients, unclean equipment, and many other violations — in a 2007 inspection. Similar problems were recorded by inspectors in 2009, 2010 and 2011, though government officials didn't take any action or release the results of those inspections until after the illnesses were discovered this year.

MORE AT:

http://news.yahoo.com/fda-halts-operations-peanut-butter-plant-215857415.html

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/fda-halts-operations-peanut-butter-plant-215857415.html

[hlthe2b]

1. My household consumed two very large jars of the Costco product that originated from this facility..

several weeks prior to receiving a notice of recall. I guess either we are all immune or got lucky.

Frankly, given the production practices, I am at least as worried about Aflatoxin levels as Salmonella...

No, we don't need regulation or food safety programs. Not at all....

[KoKo]

3. I made peanut butter cookies from TJ's organic two weeks ago.

We didn't get sick, but I didn't like the consistency of the PB. It seemed different from others I'd bought in the past.

It's possible that some batch runs were okay...but that many were not. You and I got lucky this time.

I've been buying the organic PB because of the huge recall a couple years ago with "Peter Pan" and figured that it was worth the extra money to be safe. Seems to me that the organic certifying organizations should have inspected that plant since they are a big operation that sells to other supermarkets and even Whole Foods. If you buy organic you expect better. But, obviously not always true these days.

[hlthe2b]

4. The heat from baking likely protected you. We ate ours "raw".... So, yeah, very lucky

I've switched over to the Kroger brand natural peanut butter. I don't think it is certified organic, but then, what does THAT mean?

We don't have Krogers out here, but our local King Soopers sells it and it seems to be pretty good quality and reasonably priced. I know the last recall before this one, nabbed several brands sold at Krogers, but not this one, so I'm hoping they have learned from that and are being more careful. Who knows, though?

We eat a lot of peanut butter--in smoothies and the like. Always unsweetened natural. Maybe I have to start going to Whole Paycheck and grinding my own? Of course THEIR peanuts could likewise be contaminated--or their grinder if they don't clean thoroughly--no way to know....

[ellenfl]

13. some 'organic' brands are owned by big ag.

who knows anymore?

[Justice]

2. Sunland Soynut butter was not on the recall list, but is it made under the same "circumstances?"

does anyone know?

[hlthe2b]

5. I'd check out their (manufacturer's) website and see if they've posted a press release or notice...

I find most companies DO when something like this comes up. Just google Sunland soynut butter.

[docgee]

6. The FDA actually doing their job???

More likely the company's competitor is a bigger contributor...

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. "The FDA actually doing their job???"

uhh...no.

"Similar problems were recorded by inspectors in 2009, 2010 and 2011, though government officials didn't take any action or release the results of those inspections until after the illnesses were discovered this year."

[kelliekat44]

7. es, but only on peanut butter! Keep on taking those poison pills!

[d_r]

9. my mother got some

she got sick as could be. She has other health problems so she had to have daily injections of antibiotics for a couple of weeks. It really worked her over.

[Poll_Blind]

10. If they shut the place down, it's gotta be pretty bad. Good on the FDA. n/t

PB

[julian09]

11. FDA should have closed them down first time.

They thought that they got away with it and continued to operate as usual. Makes one think, how many such cases have been hidden.
I consider it malpractice by fda and action should be taken to remedy this abuse of public trust.

[Poll_Blind]

12. Funny thing, though, I read the article months/weeks ago where they were cleaning it..

...up and it sounded like they were re-organizing everything, cleaning everything, etc. in order to get in compliance.

Funny thing was I believed the article. I've worked in a very clean food processing plant many years ago and it was amazing what this place did to keep clean. They even had a rabbi come in at least once a month to inspect everything and make sure it was kosher.

It was hard work but I gotta say, the people who ran the place took every aspect of food safety very seriously.

Even the stuff we "threw away" (I shit you not) was absolutely impeccable. I heard farmers bought the stuff to feed to their pigs but after spending all day making it and knowing exactly how clean it was, I used to grab gobs of this "waste" and bring it home.

Every other place I worked after that, that involved food preparation, was a joke.

PB

[snooper2]

14. Rabbis do food safety?

ROFL

[Poll_Blind]

15. You have no idea what kosher even means, do you? nt

PB

[snooper2]

17. of course I do, you can't chop up a live cow with a machette LOL

has to be a "clean" animal....food processed the proper way blah blah. Don't drink wine that wasn't prepared by a Jewish person....



I thought it was all pretty "corporatized" these days", didn't know they actually still sent real rabbis out and everything LOL

[justiceischeap]

18. Actually the Rabbi is the one usually slaughtering the cow

and they use a knife to slit the cows throat (there's much more to it than that but I don't want to get too graphic).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shechita

[NickB79]

16. We routinely have a rabbi certify our dairy plant

You do NOT mess around with your kosher certification.