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Food Safety Changes Proposed in Georgia

By PritzkerLaw

Food companies in Georgia would be required under a proposed new law to notify state health inspectors within a day if internal tests show a contaminant in a plant.

The Georgia Senate Agriculture Committee considered the measure Monday in response to problems uncovered at a peanut processing plant in Blakely, Georgia, that has been blamed for a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak associated with eight deaths.

The South Georgia peanut plant, owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), is said by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to have shipped products on at least two occasions that tested positive for Salmonella. Other shipments were made by the company before any test results were obtained, authorities have said.

 While PCA is under criminal investigation by the FDA and FBI in connection with the Salmonella outbreak, the company also is facing civil lawsuits.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen Attorneys filed the nation's first Peanut Corporation of America wrongful death lawsuit  on behalf of the heirs of Shirley Mae Almer, 72 of Perham, Minn. Almer ate peanut butter made by PCA and became infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella. She died Dec. 21.

Another Minnesotan, Doris Flatgard, 87, died Jan. 4 under similar circumstances. PritzkerOlsen also is representing family members of Mrs. Flatgard. Like Mrs. Almer, Mrs. Flatgard was residing in a Brainerd nursing home when she became sickened by the bacteria.

PritzkerOlsen has considerable experience and a reputation for success in representing survivors of foodborne illness. To contact us, please call 612-338-0202; 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on February 09, 2009 (boomark / email).