Pleasantville Environmental Coalition

Congressional hearing on peanut butter

Feb 01, 2009

National/World:

Congressional hearing on peanut butter recallThursday, January 29, 2009 | 4:19 PM

WASHINGTON -- A congressman has announced the first public hearing on the salmonella outbreak that's being blamed on tainted peanut butter.

California Democrat Henry Waxman says he wants to focus on the Georgia peanut processing plant at the center of the investigation, which has led to a massive recall. More than 500 people have gotten sick in the outbreak, and at least eight may have died because of salmonella infections.

Among those testifying will be Stewart Parnell, president of Peanut Corp. of America, as well representatives of two labs the company used for testing. Peanut Corp. shipped products that initially tested positive for salmonella, after follow-up tests found no traces.

Waxman says the situation at the plant "alarming."