FDA: New Mexico peanut plant to stay shut amid salmonella probe

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will not allow Sunland, Inc. to restart operations at its Portales, N.M., plant, in connection with a two-month-old recall of peanut products, according to media reports.

The FDA ?halted operations of the country?s largest organic peanut butter processor Monday, cracking down on salmonella poisoning for the first time with new enforcement authority the agency gained in a 2011 food safety law,? the Associated Press reported.

In Monday?s enforcement?actions that suspended Sunland?s ?food facility registration? and prohibited it from distributing food, the FDA stated?

?The fact that peanut butter made by the company has been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney that has sickened 41 people in 20 states, coupled with Sunland?s history of violations led FDA to make the decision to suspend the company?s registration.?

Sunland Inc. issued a statement today saying it was surprised by the FDA?s suspension of its registration and the associated?shutdown, while indicating?that it will continue to cooperate with the FDA.

?Sunland?s goal remains the same?to take all appropriate measures for the safe processing and handling of raw peanuts in its shelling plant and the safe production of nut butter products in its peanut butter plant,? the company said. ?Sunland is continuing to work with FDA in order to accomplish all steps necessary to begin shelling operations in its peanut mill as soon as possible.?

In the above video, KRQE reported Monday night:

?Just hours after a New Mexico peanut butter plant announced its plan to resume processing tomorrow, the Feds said ?not so fast.??

The company?s problems came to light in September after an outbreak of salmonella was found linked to Trader Joe?s Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter.

Sunland?s Sept. 24 ?voluntarily limited recall of almond butter and peanut butter products due to possible health risk? was expanded in October to total more than 200 products, according to Sunland?s release on its website and on the FDA website.

?Sunland had voluntarily closed its plant after a September outbreak and planned to reopen its peanut processing facility on Tuesday, with hopes of selling peanut butter again by the end of the year, the AP reported.?

The FDA?s action?proceeded without a court order, under new powers granted to it by Congress last year.

?This was the FDA?s first use of its registration suspension authority, under the Food Safety Modernization Act,? the agency stated. ?This new authority enables the agency to take this action when food manufactured, processed, packed, received, or held by a facility has a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals, and other conditions are met.?

ABC News Radio reported that Sunland ?can request an informal hearing to lift the suspension.?

In a Nov. 15 statement on its website, Sunland stated, ?At no time in its twenty four year history has Sunland, Inc. released for distribution any products that it knew to be potentially contaminated with harmful microorganisms.?

Source: http://nm.whosaidyousaid.com/video/fda-new-mexico-peanut-plant-to-stay-shut-amid-salmonella-probe/

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