That quote comes from Christopher Meunier, a victim of the current salmonella outbreak. LOTS of new information is out now, and the Obama administration has started a criminal investigation - as they SHOULD. This is outrageous.
Seriously, think of how bad you feel for children who fall ill when nobody is at fault. Think of how mad you feel when children are harmed by somebody else when it's an accident. Christopher Meunier spent 6 days in the hospital, and it WAS somebody's fault, and it was NOT an accident. And it's not just Christopher - half of the salmonella cases are kids under 10.
Now want to be even more outraged? The greedy jerk who is ultimately responsible for Christopher's illness - the president of Peanut Corporation of America - advises the USDA on peanut quality standards.
It sounds like the first hint of this peanut butter scandal was when some peanuts were held up at the Canadian border. Canada wouldn't take them. The FDA inspected them and wouldn't allow them into America either. That was in September 2008. The peanuts contained what the FDA called "filthy, putrid or decomposed substance, or is otherwise unfit for food." In other words, metal fragments.
Of course, that wasn't the FIRST hint. Oh no. The Georgia plant at the heart of the outbreak was inspected in 2001 and 2006. Hardhat Democrat chronicles the FDA's recent findings at the Blakely, Ga plant, which are quite frankly disgusting. I find it hard to believe that the plant was in a condition that should have passed an inspection a mere 3 years ago.
The 12 instances in which the plant found salmonella in their products but sold the products anyway occurred in 2007 and 2008 - after the 2006 inspection. Apparently, they were shopping around for labs that would give them clean test results despite their plant's appalling conditions.
With all of these details coming to light, the Obama administration launched a criminal investigation. Furthermore, press secretary Robert Gibbs has noted that the new FDA commissioner will be announced in the next few days and that the Obama administration WILL do something to address food safety problems. (The same article notes that Dubya had NO PERMANENT FDA COMMISSIONER for over HALF his Presidency... and that the FDA is perennially underfunded, which makes it hard for them to do their job.)
Already, Rep. Dingell has introduced a new food safety bill. The bill would require all food manufacturers get inspected once every 4 years. In the diary I've linked to here, a few of us had an interesting discussion about food safety, which you are very much invited to add to. AAF says that the EU requires mandatory regular testing for food safety, which is sent to a central database in Brussels. Could that work here?
My own thoughts are: If companies are going to shop around for labs that will give them the results they want, we need to put the fear of god into them by allowing consumers to sue - and making sure that food safety screw-ups, especially ones like this which are so criminal, are extremely expensive and unpleasant to food companies.
Meanwhile, the recall, which started with only peanut butter and peanut paste, has now expanded to all kinds of peanut products: peanut butter, peanut paste, peanut meal, peanut granules, and peanuts. That means that - because these products were purchased wholesale by other food companies - that the recall of foods consumers buy and eat is growing too.
Another major bit of news: Initially the FDA told us that peanut butter sold retail in jars is OK. Now they are backtracking on that statement:
The FDA also said for the first time that some peanut butter on store shelves may not be safe to eat. Health officials repeated assurances that major national brands were considered safe, but said some boutique brands may be suspect.
Here's an up to date list of recalled products:
Brownies
Peanut Butter Grand Brownies sold by:
Avanza Supermarket
Chef Jay's
Econofoods (excluding Wisconsin stores in Sturgeon Bay, Clintonville, Marquette, Holton and Iron Mountain)
Family Fresh Market
Family Thrift Center
Food Bonanza
Pick'n Save (Ohio stores in Van Wert and Ironton only)
Prairie Market
SunMart Foods
Wholesale Food Outlet
Cake
Rolls and Cakes iced with peanut butter cream sold by:
Avanza Supermarket
Econofoods (excluding Wisconsin stores in Sturgeon Bay, Clintonville, Marquette, Holton and Iron Mountain)
Family Fresh Market
Family Thrift Center
Food Bonanza
Pick'n Save (Ohio stores in Van Wert and Ironton only)
Prairie Market
SunMart Foods
Wholesale Food Outlet
Wegmans Chocolate Peanut Butter Tarts
Candy
Blanton's Peanut Butter Sticks
Hy-Vee People Chow Party Mix and Assorted Truffle Fudge
Hy-Vee Peanut brittle
Landies Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Rain Creek Baking Company Baklava Assortment
Rain Creek Baking Company Peanut Butter Princesses
Rain Creek Baking Company Peanut Butter Turtle Shells
Rain Creek Baking Company Peanut Butter Turtles
Rain Creek Baking Corporation Baklava Assortment
Rain Creek Baking Corporation Hand Crafted Baklava
Rain Creek Baking Corporation Michael's Baklava Assortment
Sinbad Baklava & Sweets
Sinbad Galleta estilo Baklava
Sinbad Galletas estilo Baklava
Sinbad Special Baklava Assortment
Sinbad Sweets Baklava & Sweets
Sinbad Sweets Caffe Sweets
Sinbad Sweets Enrobed Peanut Butter Baskets
Sinbad Sweets Enrobed Peanut Butter Princesses
Sinbad Sweets European Baklava Assortment
Sinbad Sweets Peanut Butter Princess Baklava
SinbadSweets.com 12pc Peanut Butter Princess
South Bend Chocolate Company Assorted chocolates
South Bend Chocolate Company Gift boxes (CC, CCLG, CCXL and CCXXL)
South Bend Chocolate Company Hoosiers
South Bend Chocolate Company Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
South Bend Chocolate Company Peanut Butter Fudge
South Bend Chocolate Company Peanut Butter Meltaway, Milk Chocolate
South Bend Chocolate Company Peanut Butter Meltaways-Dark Chocolate
South Bend Chocolate Company Valentine Heart
Wegmans Swiss Recipe Large Chocolate Holiday Platter (Sold between 10-31-08 and 1-21-09)
Wegmans Swiss Recipe Large Chocolate Holiday Platter with Sponge Candy (Sold between 10-31-08 and 1-21-09)
Wegmans Swiss Recipe Medium Chocolate Holiday Platter (Sold between 10-31-08 and 1-21-09)
Wegmans Swiss Recipe Ultimate Peanut Butter Cups
Cookies
The following products:
Mini Peanut Butter Cookies
Monster Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Rolls
Scotcheroos
From the following stores:
Avanza Supermarket
Econofoods (Excluding Wisconsin stores in Sturgeon Bay, Clintonville, Marquette, Holton and Iron Mountain)
Family Fresh Market
Family Thrift Center
Food Bonanza
Pick'n Save (Ohio stores in Van Wert and Ironton only)
Prairie Market
SunMart Foods
Wholesale Food Outlet
Arizona Gold I love Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Arizona Gold Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Baker Jo's Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Dough
Baker Jo's Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough
Baker Jo's Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 1.25 oz Custom Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 1.25 oz Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 1.5 oz Custom Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 1.5 oz Custom Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 1.5 oz Custom Reese's® Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 1.5 oz ZT Custom Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 1.5 oz ZT Custom Reese's® Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 2 oz Custom Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. 3 oz Original Peanut Butter Precut Frozen Cookie Dough
Best Brands Corp. Peanut Butter Frozen Cookie Dough
Chef Jay's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Tri-O-Plex Cookie ("Best Buy" 06/Sept/09 thru 16/Jan/10)
Chef Jay's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Tri-O-Plex Lite Bites Cookie ("Best Buy" 06/Sept/09 thru 16/Jan/10)
Chef Jay's Peanut Butter Tri-O-Plex Cookie ("Best Buy" 06/Sept/09 thru 16/Jan/10)
Classic Breaks Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Cub Foods Iced Peanut Butter Cookies w/ Chocolate Icing
Cub Foods Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Cub Foods Peanut Butter Blossom Tray
Cub Foods Peanut Butter Cookies
Dough-to-Go Peanut butter baked cookie products
Dough-to-Go Peanut butter cookie dough
Evening Rise Peanut Butter Cookies
Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies
Food Lion Bake Shop Peanut butter Cookies
Gigi's Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Gourmet Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough
Gourmet Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Grandessa Peanut butter cookies
Hy-Vee Lunchbox Peanut Butter Cookies
Hy-Vee Lunchbox Reese’s Pieces Cookies
Hy-Vee Monster Cookies
Hy-Vee Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Hy-Vee Peanut Butter Cookies
Hy-Vee Peanut Butter Reese’s Pieces Cookies
Jimmy's Cookies Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough
Jimmy's Cookies Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies
Lofthouse Peanut Butter Cookies
Lofthouse Peanut Butter Fudge No-Bake Cookies
Lofthouse Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
One Smart Cookie Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough
One Smart Cookie Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ovens of Ashley Monster Cookie Dough
Parco Foods Chuck’s Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies
Parker Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup 1442 (Man. on 11/6/08)
Parker Peanut Butter Cookies & Crème Organic Bark 2348 (Man. On 10/3/08)
Parker Peanut Butter Milk Blend 2310 (Man. On 7/31/08)
Pastries Plus Gourmet Cookies
Sam’s Choice Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Trader Joe’s Sutter’s Formula Cookies
Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies
WalMart Bakery Harvest Peanut Butter Fudge No-Bake Cookies
WalMart Bakery Peanut Butter Cookie
WalMart Bakery Peanut Butter Fudge No-Bake Cookies
Wegmans Peanut Butter Cookies
Crackers:
Austin Quality Foods Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter
Austin Quality Foods Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Cookie/Cracker Pack
Austin Quality Foods Mega Stuffed Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter
Austin Quality Foods PB & J Cracker Sandwiches
Austin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Super Snack Pack Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter
Austin Quality Foods Variety Pack
Cambridge Cheese crackers with peanut butter
Keebler Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Keebler Toast & PB'n J Flavored Sandwich Crackers
Keebler Toast & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Little Debbie Peanut Butter Cheese sandwich crackers
Little Debbie Peanut Butter Toasty sandwich crackers
Meijer Cheese and Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Meijer Toasty Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
ShopRite Peanut Butter and Cheese Cracker Snacks
ShopRite Peanut Butter on Toasty Crackers
Weis Quality Cheese Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Weis Quality Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Donuts:
Wegmans Peanut Covered Donuts
Fruits and Vegetables:
Eating Right Apples with Peanut Butter ("Sell by" dates of 12/27/08 to 2/2/09)
Eating Right Celery with Peanut Butter ("Sell by" dates of 12/27/08 to 2/2/10)
H-E-Buddy Apples with Peanut Butter: with expiration dates: Jan. 16, Jan. 18-23 & Jan. 25-26
H-E-Buddy Celery with Peanut Butter with expiration dates: Jan. 16-18 & Jan. 20-22
H-E-Buddy Snack Tray with two dips: with expiration dates: Jan. 16-17, Jan. 29, & Jan. 21-22
Ready Pac Cool Cuts Celery with Peanut Butter ("Sell by" dates of 12/27/08 to 2/2/09)
Trader Joe’s Celery with Peanut Butter ("Sell by" Dates of 12/27/08 to 2/2/09)
Trader Joe’s Celery with Peanut Butter ("Sell by" dates of 12/27/08 to 2/2/10)
Trader Joe’s Sliced Green Apples With All Natural Peanut Butter
Ice Cream:
The following products:
Sundae Cone
Fudge Round Top Cone
Vanilla Round Top Cone
From the following brands:
America's Choice
Artic Classic
Big Y
Bon
Byrne Dairy
Carnival
Cub Foods
Dolly Madison
Econo
Flavorite
Food City
Food Club
Giant
Giant Eagle
Grande
Greens
Hagan
Hill Country Fare
Hood
Ice Girl
IGA
Kay's
Key Food
Krasdale
Lowes
Market Basket
Meijer
Pathmark
Price Chopper
Pricerite
Publix
Redners
Richfood
River Valley
Roundy's
Shop 'n Save
Shoprite
Shurfine
Shurfresh
Stater Bros
Stop & Shop
Sundae Shoppe
Tops
United Dairy
Valu Time
Velvet
Weis
Winn Dixie
Blue Bunny No Sugar Added Reduced Fat Bunny Tracks
Blue Bunny Personals Bunny Tracks
Meijer Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream
Meijer Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Meijer Vanilla Sundae Cone w/ Peanuts
Meijer Fudge Sundae Cone w/ Peanuts
Perry's Peanut Butter Chip Frozen Yogurt
Perry's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Perry's Peanut Butter Cup
Perry's Peanut Butter Sundae Crunch Ice Cream Bar
Perry's Perfectly Churned Light Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Perry's Premium Peanut Butter Cup Craze Ice Cream
Perry's Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream
Perry's YGT Peanut Butter Chip
Private Selection Peanut Butter Passion Ice Cream
Private Selection Peanut Butter Passion Light Ice Cream
Shurfine Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Shurfine Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream
Wegman's Chocolate Nutty Cone Ice Cream
Wegman's Peanut Butter Candy Sundae Cup Ice Cream 4 Pack
Wegman's Peanut Butter Crunch Ice Cream Bar 6 pack
Wegman's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Wegman's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pint
Wegman's Peanut Butter Pretzel Ice Cream
Wegman's Peanut Butter Sundae Ice Cream
Wegman's Peanut Butter Sundae Cup Ice Cream
Wegman's Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream
Peanut Butter:
GRANDE GOURMET Peanut butter and peanut butter and jelly combination products
King Nut Peanut butter
Parnell's Pride Peanut butter
POCO PAC Peanut butter and peanut butter and jelly combination products
Unbranded for further distribution Peanut butter and peanut butter and jelly combination products
Peanuts:
Markets of Meijer Dry Roasted Peanuts
Meijer Bulk Dry Roasted Peanuts
Pet Food:
Carolina Prime 2 Pack Hooves Peanut Butter Hooves
Carolina Prime 4" Rawhide Bone Peanut Rawhide
Carolina Prime 6" Beef Shank Peanut Butter Dog Bone
Carolina Prime 6" Rawhide Bone Peanut Butter Rawhide
Carolina Prime Pet 2pk Hooves Peanut Butter
Carolina Prime Pet 4" Rawhide Bone Peanut Butter
Carolina Prime Pet 6" Beef Shank Peanut Butter
Carolina Prime Pet 6" Rawhide Bone Peanut Butter
Carolina Prime Pet 6" Healthy Hide Beef Shank Peanut Butter
Grreat Choice Extra Large Assorted
Grreat Choice Large Assorted
Grreat Choice Peanut Butter
Grreat Choice Small Assorted
Grreat Choice Small/Medium Assorted
Happy Tails Multi-flavored Dog Biscuits
Healthy-hide Deli-wrap Peanut Butter-Filled Rawhide dog treats
Salix Healthy-Hide-Deli Wrap 5" Peanut Butter Filled Rawhide
Shoppers Valu Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits
Pre-Packaged Meals:
Dinners Ready Asian Marinated Flank Steak with Sesame Vegetable Stir Fry (November & December menus)
Dinners Ready Chicken Satay & Bangkok Peanut Sauce with Jasmine Rice (November & December menus)
Dinners Ready Indonesian Chicken with Coconut Rice (November & December menus)
Sure-Pak 12 Meals
Snack Bars:
Peanut Butter Rice Crisp Bar and Special K bars from the following retailers:
Avanza Supermarket
Econofoods (Excluding Wisconsin stores in Sturgeon Bay, Clintonville, Marquette, Holton and Iron Mountain)
Family Fresh Market
Family Thrift Center
Food Bonanza
Pick'n Save (Ohio stores in Van Wert and Ironton only)
Prairie Market
SunMart Foods
Wholesale Food Outlet
Arbonne Figure 8 Peanut Butter Chews
Can Do Kid Cookies & Cream
Can Do Kid Chocolate Crunch
Chef Jay's Peanut Butter Tri-O-Plex Duo Bar
CLIF BAR Builder’s Peanut Butter - Best by: 19JUL09 to 30SEP09 and 05NOV09 to 18NOV09
CLIF BAR Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch - Best by: 21JUN09 to 01OCT09 and 03NOV09 to 28NOV09
CLIF BAR Crunchy Peanut Butter - Best by: 21JUN09 to 01OCT09 and 03NOV09 to 28NOV09
CLIF BAR Kid Organic ZBaR Peanut Butter - Best by: 07JUL09 to 05SEP09 and 12NOV09
CLIF BAR Peanut Toffee Buzz - Best by: 13SEP09
Evening Rise Peanut Butter Bars
GNC Triflex Peanut Butter Soft Chews
Health Valley Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars
Isagenix Branded Chocolate Dipped Honey Peanut IsaLean Bar
Isagenix IsaLean Choc. Dipped Honey Peanut
JamFrakas Peanut Butter Cookie Individual Bar
Jenny’s Cuisine Anytime Peanut Butter Flavor Nutritional Bars
LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Blisscrisp snack bars
LUNA Nutz Over Chocolate - Best by: 29JUL09 to 03OCT09 and 11NOV09 to 14NOV09
LUNA Peanut Butter Cookie - Best by: 02OCT09 to 03OCT09 and 11NOV09 to 14NOV09
MOJO Dipped Chocolate Peanut- Best by: 30APR09 - 21JUN09
MOJO Dipped Fruit and Nut- Best by: 30APR09 - 21JUN09
MOJO Dipped Peanut Butter and Jelly- Best by: 30APR09 - 21JUN09
MOJO Honey Roasted Peanut - Best by: 30APR09 to 21JUN09
MOJO Mixed Nuts - Best by: 30APR09 to 21JUN09
MOJO Mountain Mix - Best by:30APR09 to 21JUN09
MOJO Peanut Butter Pretzel - Best by:30APR09 to 21JUN09
Naturally Preferred Honey Nut Nuggets
Nestle Optifast Honey Nut ’n Oat
NUTRILITE Chocolate Nut Roll Energy Bar
NUTRILITE Peanut Butter Energy Bar
NUTRILITE Product Intro Kit
NUTRILITE Vanilla Pretzel Energy Bar
NutriPals Peanut Butter Chocolate nutrition bars
NutriSystem Peanut Butter Granola Bar
Optimum Energy Bars Peanut Butter Flavored Optimum Energy Bars (Best Before 01OCT09A)
Promax Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Promax 70 Double Fudge Brownie
Promax 70 Cookies and Cream
Shaklee Cinch Chocolate Decadence
Shaklee Cinch Lemon Cranberry
Shaklee Cinch Peanut Butter Crunch
SunRidge Chocolate Energy Bar
SunRidge Energy Nuggets
SunRidge Tropical Golden Nugget
Supreme Protein Caramel Nut (Energy) Bars
Supreme Protein Caramel Nut Bars
Supreme Protein Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Think Thin Dark Chocolate
Think Thin Chocolate Mudslide
TITAN Nutrition Bar, Chocolate Peanut Crunch, Best Buy: SEP 04 2009A through DEC 17 2009A
TITAN "Nutrition Bar, Chocolate Peanut Crunch, Best Buy:SEP 04 2009A through DEC 17 2009A
Trader Joe’s Nutty Chocolate Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars
Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars
TWISTED "Nutrition Bar, Best Buy: 07/01/09 through 01/09/10
TWISTED Nutrition Bar, Chocolate, Best Buy: AUG 01 2009A through JAN 09 2010A
TWISTED Nutrition Bar, Peanut Butter, Best Buy: AUG 01 2009A through JAN 09 2010A
TWISTED Nutrition Bar, Vanilla, Best Buy: AUG 01 2009A through JAN 09 2010A
Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets
Zone 3 Carb Chocolate Brownie
ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee Bars
Snack Mix:
Puppy Chow snack mix from the following stores:
Avanza Supermarket
Econofoods (Excluding Wisconsin stores in Sturgeon Bay, Clintonville, Marquette, Holton and Iron Mountain)
Family Fresh Market
Family Thrift Center
Food Bonanza
Pick'n Save (Ohio stores in Van Wert and Ironton only)
Prairie Market
SunMart Foods
Wholesale Food Outlet
Hy-Vee Party mix
This list will get bigger soon with products like Bear Naked Appalachian Trail Mix and Harry and David Olympia Delight trail mix. My recommendation is that if you have anything containing peanuts at home, don't eat it. Don't necessarily throw it away either. Just wait and see.
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