February 10, 2009 USDA Reports Salmonella-Tainted Peanut Butter Sent to Schools in 2007 The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported late last week that the agency had purchased peanut butter for school lunch and other nutrition assistance programs from the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), the firm at the center of the country’s widespread salmonella outbreak. The outbreak has claimed 8 lives and affected people in 47 states. None of these deaths has been specifically linked to the school peanut butter. PCA company documents reveal there had been at least 12 positive tests for salmonella at its plant in 2007 & 2008 yet the company continued to ship its product and did not report any test results to government oversight bodies. More than 1000 products have been recalled because PCA produced peanut butter in bulk for sale and peanut butter paste used in other packaged products such as crackers. Given a growing number of food-related disease outbreaks over the past 2 years, American consumers and political leaders are increasingly questioning the efficacy of the nation’s food safety programs. Both the USDA and Food and Drug Administration have responsibility for various aspects of food production, food safety and inspection. For more information on the outbreak please see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/09/AR2009020900381.html http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/us/09peanuts.html?_r=1&ref=health http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/05/AR2009020500743.html For more information on nutrition and food safety, please see: http://www.healthinschools.org/Educators-and-Families/Parents/Learn-Now/Nutr ition-and-Food-Safety.aspx

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