ConAgra has will pay a record $11.2-million fine for
marketing Peter Pan peanut butter made in late 2006 that was contaminated with
salmonella.
Federal
officials linked 700 sicknesses to the peanut butter, but believe far more
suffered stomach poisoning.
ConAgra
will pay a criminal fine of $8 million for a misdemeanor violation of the
federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act — the largest fine ever in a food safety
case — and forfeit assets of $3.2 million.
"No
company can let down its guard when it comes to these kinds of microbiological
contaminants," said Department of Justice principal deputy assistant
attorney general Benjamin Mizer.
"Salmonellosis
is a serious condition, and a food like peanut butter can deliver it straight
to children and other vulnerable populations."
In February
2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC determined that the
salmonellosis outbreak could be traced to ConAgra's products that were made and
shipped from its plant in Sylvester, Ga., starting December 2006.
In Canada, companies get off with a tap on the wrist and continue in business as if nothing happened.
