Food Safety Whistleblower Says Feds Should Have Investigated NM Plant in 2009
By: Nick Ochsner
Updated: November 27, 2012
Kenneth Kendrick--food safety whistleblower at the center of a 2009 peanut butter recall--says FDA inspectors had reason to investigate the Sunland Peanut Butter Plant back in 2009.
Kendrick, who worked as an assistant manager for the Plainview plant for the Peanut Corporation of America, tells KAMC Investigates his company received shipments of raw peanuts from Sunland, Inc when he worked there in 2006.
"The inspectors who looked at the Texas plant should have been able to follow the trail back in 2009 and prevent this from happening," he said.
Federal inspectors with the Food and Drug Administration revoked Sunland's certificate to operate on Monday, the same day company officials announced that they planned to resume operations on Tuesday.
According to the FDA, Sunland had been knowingly shipping products tainted with salmonella since 2009.
The FDA's action comes after a world-wide recall of Sunland, Inc.'s products. At least 40 illnesses have been traced back to tainted products produced by Sunland.
Monday's revocation means the company will not be able to produce or distribute any products.
The FDA's ability to take action against manufacturers who present a health risk is new. This is the first time that power has been used.
"If the food safety modernization act hadn't been passed--which was pretty much the result of Peanut Corp--the FDA would not have had the authority to close this plant," Kendrick said.
For its part, Sunland, Inc. has denied knowingly shipping tainted products. A statement released by the company says Sunland, Inc. will work with the FDA to resolve the problems.
Kendrick says this week's action against Sunland, Inc. should never have had to happen in the first place.
"It's very upsetting to go through everything I went through in 2009 and turn around and see the exact same thing happen again," he said.
Kendrick, who worked as an assistant manager for the Plainview plant for the Peanut Corporation of America, tells KAMC Investigates his company received shipments of raw peanuts from Sunland, Inc when he worked there in 2006.
"The inspectors who looked at the Texas plant should have been able to follow the trail back in 2009 and prevent this from happening," he said.
Federal inspectors with the Food and Drug Administration revoked Sunland's certificate to operate on Monday, the same day company officials announced that they planned to resume operations on Tuesday.
According to the FDA, Sunland had been knowingly shipping products tainted with salmonella since 2009.
The FDA's action comes after a world-wide recall of Sunland, Inc.'s products. At least 40 illnesses have been traced back to tainted products produced by Sunland.
Monday's revocation means the company will not be able to produce or distribute any products.
The FDA's ability to take action against manufacturers who present a health risk is new. This is the first time that power has been used.
"If the food safety modernization act hadn't been passed--which was pretty much the result of Peanut Corp--the FDA would not have had the authority to close this plant," Kendrick said.
For its part, Sunland, Inc. has denied knowingly shipping tainted products. A statement released by the company says Sunland, Inc. will work with the FDA to resolve the problems.
Kendrick says this week's action against Sunland, Inc. should never have had to happen in the first place.
"It's very upsetting to go through everything I went through in 2009 and turn around and see the exact same thing happen again," he said.
Comments
My heart does go out to all the Hard Working Employees of Sunland Peanuts, I know that almost all the Hard Workers there had no idea of what was happening, and are victims of the Leaders.
Kenneth K.
November 28, 2012 at 6:48 pm
