Creamy, Chunky or Contaminated?
The case against Peanut Corp. of America reads like a veggie version of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. After a 2008 salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds of people and may have killed eight, federal investigators traced the strain to peanuts processed at Peanut Corp.'s Blakely, Ga., plant. There the investigators found nightmarish conditions — mold lining the walls and ceilings, rodents and roaches running amok, and food supplies contaminated with waste. Worse still, the FDA found evidence that the company allowed products to ship even after internal testing discovered salmonella contamination. The result was a massive recall of the processed peanuts contained in everything from peanut butter to ice cream. The company, which denies the allegations, declared bankruptcy in the wake of the investigation. Federal criminal charges against the company are pending.
沙門氏菌污染
公眾與美國Peanut公司的較量看起來就像是素食主義版的辛克萊的《屠場》。在2008導致上百人生病和8人死亡的沙門氏菌事件之后,聯邦調查人員根據花生的品種追查到了Peanut公司下屬的Blakely, Ga公司。在那里調查人員看到了如夢魘般的場面——模具倚著墻或掛在天花板,蟑螂和各種昆蟲大行其道,供應的原料被垃圾所污染。最壞的是,公司即使在國內檢測發現沙門氏菌污染之后仍然讓產品上市。最終,從花生醬到冰激凌凡是含有花生的所有產品被大規模的召回。然而,公司否認了所有指控并且在調查開始不久就宣布破產。聯邦對公司的刑事指控就此擱置。