Former Peanut Corporation of America Officials Indicted
Statement of CSPI Senior Food Safety Attorney David Plunkett
February 21, 2013
Corporate disregard for food safety is a serious crime, especially when it leads to deaths. The behavior of the Peanut Corporation of America in 2009 clearly warranted criminal prosecution. At least nine people died and hundreds were sickened by Salmonella-contaminated products coming out of this filthy Georgia plant. We are pleased that the Department of Justice has indicted this company’s former owner and other former PCA officials. Today's indictment should send a powerful signal to food industry officials that they and their companies could suffer severe consequences if they recklessly put consumers at risk of a foodborne illness.
