Over 600 people have been sickened and several have died in the recent peanut salmonella outbreak. I just scanned the FDA’s recall list of 2183 peanut containing products, and yes, your favorite Keebler Oatmeal Raisin cookies are on there. What do all these products have in common? Peanuts and related peanut by-products from the American Peanut Corporation. Seems there may have been a tad too much rodent excrement, bird feathers and dead rodent remains in the processing plant. If you’ve been watching this week’s news you may have seen Peanut Corp.’s CEO taking the Fifth at this week’s Congressional hearings and learned of the company’s related bankruptcy announcement. (I think I feel a peanut allergy coming on.)
Where does the FDA fit into this mess? They have performed in their usual exemplary manner. Plant workers had called attention to the salmonella problem as far back as June, 2008. Is this a simple case of the FDA being understaffed or is it more symptomatic of the agency being over-bribed? Drug companies and giant food conglomerates have always held great sway with the suits at the FDA. Ninety-two percent of FDA advisory meetings regarding drugs in the last decade included a member with financial ties to drug companies. Drug companies can pay the FDA for: accelerated testing, analysis and approval, sort of like the fox paying for access to the hen house. On the food front we’ve seen recalls of spinach, peanut-related products and everything from chocolate bars to tomatoes. In a related food issue, any kid caught gnawing on a Chinese toy may facing more lead poisoning than a bad guy in a Dirty Harry movie.
Congressional leaders will make a big stink about this “peanut problem,” but truth be told — they get stacks of campaign donations and perks from lobbyists of the same companies and industries that are endangering the public health. Time for the FDA to stop partnering with, and pandering to, giant food and drug companies and start protecting the American public for whom it was created to serve.
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