The peanut butter chronicles

Federal health authorities urged consumers Saturday to avoid cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods containing peanut butter as a deadly salmonella outbreak has killed six and sickened more than 470 people in 43 states, including 13 in Washington state. Officials focused on peanut paste and peanut butter from Peanut Corp. of America's Blakely, Georgia facility—not sold directly to consumers but distributed to institutions and food companies for use in products people buy at supermarkets. The outbreak triggered congressional inquiry and renewed calls for food safety law overhaul, particularly since "the FDA lacks authority to order a recall, and instead must ask companies to voluntarily withdraw products." Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who chairs a panel overseeing the FDA budget, stated: "Given the numerous food-borne-illness outbreaks over the past several years, it is becoming painfully clear that the current regulatory structure is...ill-equipped to handle these extensive investigations." Marler criticized the FDA's cautious approach: "At least 30 companies purchased peanut butter or paste from a facility with a documented link to a nationwide salmonella outbreak. The FDA has the authority actually, the mandate to request recalls if the public health is threatened. Instead, the FDA has asked the companies to test their products and consider voluntary recalls. It is just not enough." Kellogg recalled 16 products including Austin and Keebler peanut butter sandwich crackers. Health officials noted the Georgia plant passed its last state inspection that summer, but recent tests found salmonella, with contamination traced back to August for peanut butter and September for peanut paste.