FDA joins criminal investigation on salmonella

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Food and Drug Administration is joining with the Justice Department in a criminal investigation of Peanut Corp of America, whose plant caused an outbreak of salmonella that has sickened 529 people and may have killed eight.

The FDA's Dr. Stephen Sundlof said the agency would help investigate criminal allegations in the outbreak, traced to a single Blakely, Georgia, peanut plant that has been closed.

"The FDA's office of criminal investigation is involved in a justice department investigation of PCA," Sundlof told reporters in a telephone briefing, declining to elaborate on the probe.

State and federal health officials have said they have found widespread violations and contamination at the plant and evidence that plant management knowingly shipped salmonella-tainted products.

"It seems clear from the evidence brought to light this week that PCA knowingly allowed contaminated products to enter the stream of commerce," Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee, said in a statement.

"I also remain concerned with FDA's role in allowing these contaminated products to be sold," said Stupak, adding that his subcommittee will hold a February 11 hearing to seek answers from the company and the FDA about how the plant was allowed to operate despite safety violations.

Peanut Corp of America earlier this week expanded the recall to include all products made at the plant since January 1, 2007, beyond the original date of July 1, 2008. FDA officials told reporters that the expansion involves 350 newly added customers of PCA.

PCA did not immediately comment on the probe.

HUNDREDS OF PRODUCTS

So far, the recall has affected more than 400 products, from crackers to dog treats, and a wide range of food manufacturers and retailers, including Kellogg Co and General Mills Inc.

"Given the increased time frame and scope of the recall and due to the fact that the products are used as ingredients in many food products, the FDA expects that food companies which received products from PCA will be announcing additional recalls," Sundlof said.

He urged food makers, retailers and consumers to check the agency's website at www.fda.gov for updateswww.fda.gov for updates.

The peanut butter itself was sold mostly to institutions including schools and long-term care facilities in large-size cans. More than half of those sickened have been children.

Sundlof said there is still no evidence that major national peanut butter brands are contaminated. But he said the agency cannot guarantee the safety of all forms of "boutique" peanut butter, such as peanut butters ground in stores.

He said chopped peanuts tainted with metal shavings and originally shipped to Canada were returned to PCA in April 2008.

Last July, the FDA contracted with the state of Georgia to inspect the plant in Blakely to ensure measures were in place to prevent metal shavings from getting into food products.

The FDA said the company had tried to recondition the shipment, but could not, and the shipment was destroyed under FDA supervision in November 2008.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs called the revelations about the peanut shipment and the company "alarming."

"Whether it was our own regulatory system or a company that repeatedly found salmonella in its own testing would continue to ship out that product is beyond disturbing for millions of parents," Gibbs told a news conference.

(Editing by Maggie Fox and Matthew Lewis)