Peanut Plant Was Cited for Violations

[struggle4progress]

Source: NYT

By RONI CARYN RABIN
Published: January 26, 2009

The plant in Georgia that produced peanut butter tainted by salmonella has a history of sanitation lapses and was cited repeatedly in 2006 and 2007 for having dirty surfaces and grease residue and dirt buildup throughout the plant, according to health inspection reports.

Inspections of the plant in Blakely, Ga., by the State Agriculture Department found areas of rust that could flake into food, gaps in warehouse doors large enough for rodents to get through, unmarked spray bottles and containers and numerous violations of other practices designed to prevent food contamination. The plant, owned by the Peanut Corporation of America of Lynchburg, Va., has been shut down.

A typical entry from an inspection report, dated Aug. 23, 2007, said: “The food-contact surfaces of re-work kettle in the butter room department were not properly cleaned and sanitized.” Additional entries noted: “The food-contact surfaces of the bulk oil roast transfer belt” in a particular room “were not properly cleaned and sanitized. The food-contact surfaces of pan without wheels in the blanching department were not properly cleaned and sanitized” ...

The inspection reports were provided by Georgia officials in response to a request made by The New York Times under the state’s open-records act ...

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27peanuts.html?_r=1&ref=health

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Ah, the invisible magic hand of the Free Market

[tbyg52]

1. No surprise here.

Under BushCo, they weren't going to do anything substantive until people actually got sick and/or died.

Edited to add: And not even then unless exposed. We have what's left of the media to thank that we even learned about this.

[baldguy]

2. Ever wonder why the "invisible hand of the market" is invisible?

That's so they can steal your wallet without getting caught.

[hvn_nbr_2]

15. Hear! Hear! nt

[pansypoo53219]

3. more reason

to avoid the crap.

[Muttocracy]

4. well, that helps explain why it was such a big problem (not just a little batch). nt

[depakid]

5. "The state performs the inspections on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration as part of a

contractual agreement with the federal agency, officials said."

I wonder if kickbacks may have been involved?

[Mari333]

6. betcha its non union, low pay, untrained workers....

just betcha.

[Enthusiast]

7. If it's in Georgia, it is non-union.

Minimum wage.

[Romulox]

11. I wonder if they're "undocumented" workers. No sanitary regulations suggests no labor regulations.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Oh, stop picking on our wonderful free market. What have we becooooommmmme? Commies?

We need fewer restraints, not more on our fine businesses. Just get out of their way and let them grab all they can get with both fists. If they weren't meant to grab all they could get with both fists, why would the good lord have given them two goddamned fists to grab with, anyway?

Just back off these fine entrepreneurs, these fine bidnessmen in the shining white city on the hill. They're doing the best they caaaannnn.

http://www.zefrank.com.nyud.net:8090/web/34.jpg http://www.zefrank.com.nyud.net:8090/web/25.jpg http://www.zefrank.com.nyud.net:8090/web/114.jpg http://www.zefrank.com.nyud.net:8090/web/64.jpg

[struggle4progress]

9. And Sal Monella is a great guy! I don't know what I was thinking ...

[yodermon]

13. Exactly! And everything worked out -- the plant's closed now, isn't it?

Economic Darwinism at it's finest! See how the market corrected itself?

Those who died are just martyrs for the free market! I know! we can call them Free Marketyrs!

[Romulox]

10. We've become a third world country almost overnight. Other countries will soon restrict import

of our food products, as they've had to do in the past due to our poor meat processing practices.

[Nihil]

12. Wow ... speeding or child support?

:crazy:

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. And now they're responsible for the death of six people?