The Peanut Scandal

In China, the solution to deal with those who were responsible for the tainted milk products was very simple. They were executed - and the head of the State Food and Drug Administration was one example. The owner of the Peanut Corp. of America may be fortunate to be accused under a western legal system:

“WASHINGTON — The owner of a peanut company refused to testify to Congress on Wednesday amid the disclosure that he urged his workers to ship bacteria-tainted products, pleading with employees to at least “turn the raw peanuts on the floor into money.”

link: Peanut Co. Owner Refuses to Testify to Congress

The allegations are reprehensible. This peanut scandal finds that products tested positive for salmonella were shipped for human consumption. The criminal offense is obvious. However, this also points to the inadequacies of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Repeatedly, whether it is contaminated dog food, contaminated tomatoes, contaminated peanut butter or other product, the FDA has shown to be inadequate in safeguarding the American food supply. The possibility of a major catastrophe would make these recent incidents pale by comparison.

Catherine Forsythe