The Food and Drug Administration has shut down a peanut butter factory in New Mexico due to production of unsafe food. The Sunland factory, located in Portales, New Mexico, is the largest organic peanut butter producer. The popular store, Trader Joe's obtains its peanut butter from this factory.
Fox News reported that people in 20 states across the country have contracted salmonella due to the peanut butter. An outbreak linked to Sunland's peanut butter occurred in September 2012 and the factory voluntarily shut down its New Mexico based factory. Sunland planned to reopen its factory today, but the Food and Drug Administration shut down the factory for unsafe food production.
The Food and Drug Administration gained the power to shut down companies for unsafe food production in 2011 through a food safety law. This is the first time the agency has exercised its power. The company now has the burden of showing that its food is safe, before it can reopen.
A hearing will be held and the company will be inspected to determine if it is safe. Previously the company was inspected and 28 different instances of salmonella were found in the factory. The agency also discovered improper handling of food, unclean equipment and peanuts that were stored outdoors without being covered so that the peanuts were exposed to insects and birds.
After the outbreak this year, the Food and Drug Administration released results of inspections conducted in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 stating that the company had unclean equipment and improper handling of food. Also, there is evidence - denied by the president of Sunland - that in the last three years, the company would send out products that had tested positive for salmonella through internal tests.
Very concerning now is that Sunland distributes not only to Trader Joe's, but also to Target, Safeway, Whole Foods and other national grocery store chains. When the outbreak of salmonella was reported, many of these grocery stores repackaged the Sunland products and sold them under their own company names. Thus, there is the potential that contaminated peanut butter and other nut products is still on the shelf.
People who have been injured by a dangerous product need the advice of an experienced products liability attorney. If you or a loved one believe you have suffered adverse medical reactions as a result of tainted peanut butter or nut products, you may be entitled to compensation. Please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at Connor & Connor Pllc today. The attorneys at Connor & Connor Pllc are licensed to practice law before all Nevada state and federal courts. We serve clients from all socioeconomic segments of our community and we will fight to ensure that you receive compensation for your injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured by a bad product, contact one of the attorneys at Connor & Connor Pllc as soon as possible for a consultation. Any delay could negatively affect your legal rights. You may contact the firm through email at info@connorpllc.com or by phone at (702) 430-4614 or visit www.connorpllc.com. You may also visit the firm's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/ConnorConnorPllc.
What is most concerning to me is that other companies took potentially tainted peanut butter and other products, changed the label and returned them to the shelf. The risk is still out there even though this factory has been closed.
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