Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- February 10, 2009

Penn State food-safety expert comments on peanut-product recall (:50)

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Suggested Intro:

AS THE NUMBER OF RECALLED PEANUT BUTTER PRODUCTS CONTINUES TO RISE, AN EXPERT IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS THE BURDEN FALLS ON PRODUCERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR PRODUCT IS SAFE. SAM SCHELLER REPORTS:

Story:

(:25) MORE THAN 1,790 FOOD PRODUCTS CONTAINING PEANUT BUTTER HAVE BEEN RECALLED ACROSS THE NATION IN RECENT WEEKS DUE TO POTENTIAL SALMONELLA CONTAMINATION. ABOUT 575 PEOPLE -- INCLUDING 14 IN PENNSYLVANIA -- HAVE BEEN SICKENED BY THE OUTBREAK, LINKED TO A PEANUT-PROCESSING PLANT IN GEORGIA.
PENN STATE FOOD SCIENTIST STEVE KNABEL SAYS ALTHOUGH HEAT FROM ROASTING NORMALLY WOULD KILL PATHOGENS, PROPER PLANT SANITATION ALSO IS CRUCIAL IN AVOIDING PRODUCT CONTAMINATION :

Knabel Actuality:
(:12) "THEY DEFINITELY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE PROCESS IS KILLING THE SALMONELLA, FIRST OF ALL -- THE ROASTING AND THE GRINDING. THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO RE-CONTAMINATION OF THE PEANUT BUTTER BEFORE IT GETS PACKAGED."

(:13) JARS OF PEANUT BUTTER ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. CONSUMERS CAN VISIT THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION ONLINE AT W-W-W DOT F-D-A DOT GOV FOR A LIST OF RECALLED PRODUCTS. FROM PENN STATE, I'M SAM SCHELLER.

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Learn more:

Food Safety Throughout the Food System

 

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