Feds rarely file charges in tainted food cases
AP – As federal officials launch a criminal investigation into a Georgia peanut processor at the center of a deadly salmonella outbreak, food safety experts say they hope it’s a signal that the government plans to be more aggressive in prosecuting other cases in the future.
Food safety watchdogs and legal experts say criminal charges have only been brought against a handful of companies involved in high-profile outbreaks though federal law allows cases to be prosecuted without proof the company knew it was distributing contaminated food. They say the law is not used often because there has been little will to pursue criminal charges in all but the most noteworthy and outrageous cases, and that has put the public at risk.
“Part of that system is the ability to penalize the people that fail,” said Michael Taylor, a food safety scientist at George Washington University. “And there’s been a real failure to do so at the federal and state level.”
Food safety advocates hope that is starting to change.
The Food and Drug Administration said Friday it has asked the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation into Virginia-based Peanut Corp. of America, which authorities say shipped products that initially tested positive for salmonella after retesting and getting a negative result. At least 529 people have been sickened as a result of the outbreak, and at least eight may have died because of it. More than 430 products have been recalled. [...]
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