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FDA Suspends Sunland Peanut Butter Plant

First use of agency's newly granted authority

Food Safety News

By James Andrews | November 27, 2012

For the first time in agency history, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday used its authority to suspend the registration of peanut butter processor Sunland Inc. of Portales, N.M., the plant connected to a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 41 people across 20 states. Without a proper FDA registration, Sunland — the country’s largest organic peanut butter producer — would be prohibited from selling any products within America.

The FDA was granted the authority to suspend registrations when the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act was signed into law on January 4, 2011.

The agency cited Sunland’s recent outbreak and its history of health violations as the reason for this suspension. The company has had trouble with Salmonella for several years, including multiple instances of environmental contamination from at least nine different Salmonella strains.

Continue reading, "FDA Suspends Sunland Peanut Butter Plant" at Food Safety News.

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