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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Congress scolds food makers on safety lapse
  • Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:31:00 -0700


Congress scolds food makers on safety lapse
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52J3R020090320

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic lawmakers on Thursday scolded U.S. firms
that purchased now-recalled peanut products for failing to ensure the goods
were safe and relying on audits from a firm that had links with the Peanut
Corp of America, which made the tainted products.

Kellogg Co, King Nut Corp and Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets Inc
defended their oversight of purchased products and said it was common
practice in the food industry to rely on a third party to conduct audits.

The U.S. food industry has been shaken by a salmonella outbreak tied to
peanut products that led to the recall of more than 3,400 products, from
crackers to ice cream. It was the largest food recall in U.S. history.

An estimated 700 people became ill and nine died after eating contaminated
peanut products with ingredients supplied by Peanut Corp.

"There were some red flags you should have noted," Henry Waxman, chairman
of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, said at a
subcommittee hearing. "PCA was a bad company and they did bad things, and
they were clearly ignorant ... but this indicates to me that Kellogg was
pretty sloppy."

David Mackay, chief executive of Kellogg, told lawmakers his company relied
on an independent audit report from AIB International, had safety tests
conducted on the product and required Peanut Corp to provide evidence of
its safety plans.

"I think we did everything we could do," said Mackay, whose company lost
nearly $70 million in products from the recall. "We were dealing with an
unethical and dishonest supplier. I'm unaware how you manage for someone
who is prepared to put the public at risk."

AUDIT HEADS UP

The owner of King Nut Co said his company depended on Peanut Corp to sell
safe products. "I understand our name was on it, but we bought a closed
container," said Martin Kanan, president of King Nut. "We have got to start
with the manufacturers."

Internal documents released by lawmakers showed Peanut Corp was notified
when an inspection was planned by AIB, the audit firm it hired, and told
how to prepare.

In an e-mail, Peanut Corp's auditor, Pete Hatfield, told the manager of the
Georgia plant: "You lucky guy. I am your AIB auditor. So we need to get
your plant set up for any audit." He later gave the Georgia plant a
superior rating.

In contrast, a 2002 internal audit of Peanut Corp's Georgia plant paid for
by Nestle USA found rodent droppings and dead insects and determined it was
"not in compliance" with housekeeping, sanitation or pest control
standards.

An audit of Peanut Corp's Texas facility in 2006 reached the same
conclusion. As a result, Nestle never hired Peanut Corp as a supplier.

"Why didn't you do the same? You all talked about safety as the No. 1
concern. It seems like you passed that responsibility to someone else,"
said Rep. Bart Stupak, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on
Oversight and Investigations.

The three executives all said they supported plans to require the
government to certify third-party auditors and hold unannounced audits when
possible. They also backed reporting results to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration.

Congress and the White House support tougher food safety regulations.
Several bills have proposed giving FDA more funding and power, including
mandatory recall authority and product traceability.







  • [Livingontheland] Congress scolds food makers on safety lapse, Tradingpost, 03/21/2009

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