Congress issues subpoena for Peanut Corp. president

A congressional committee on Tuesday subpoenaed the president of the company that owns the South Georgia peanut plant linked to the national salmonella outbreak.

Stewart Parnell, president of Peanut Corp. of America, had been called to appear before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, as hearings open Wednesday. But Parnell indicated he would not appear voluntarily and the committee voted Tuesday to issue a subpoena to compel his appearance.

• For all the latest developments on the peanut crisis and the salmonella outbreak, with an updated list of recalled items, plus background on the scare, go to the AJC's special report: ajc.com/peanuts.

The committee, headed by U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), is investigating the salmonella outbreak that has been traced to Peanut Corp.’s Blakely peanut processing plant. The number of people sickened by the outbreak rose to 600, affecting 44 states and is possibly the cause of eight deaths, federal officials said Tuesday.

The outbreak has prompted one of the largest food recalls in history, with 1,844 products on the federal off-limits list.

“Hopefully, people are going to be held accountable,” said U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), chairman of the committee’s investigations panel.

Stupak says he wants know how Peanut Corp. managed to sell allegedly tainted goods without triggering action by state and federal health authorities.

The company, now under FBI investigation, makes only a small percentage of U.S. peanut products. But its ingredients are used by dozens of other food companies.

Peanut Corp.’s troubles continued to mount this week as federal investigators began combing through the company’s corporate headquarters in Lynchburg, Va., as well as the Blakely plant.

Anne Bristow, a former employee at the plant in Blakely, said she was on her way to return her uniform Monday when she saw the large law enforcement presence at the plant.

“Looked like there were state troopers and every kind of law enforcement car under God’s heavens blocking the street,” she said. “I wondered what in the world is going on now!”

On Monday night, the company closed a second facility, in Plainview, Texas, at the state’s request after a private lab hired by the company found possible salmonella contamination in some products. None of the products had been distributed to consumers, said Doug McBride, spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

A Peanut Corp. statement said it “has voluntarily taken this action in order to cooperate with the [Texas health department] during its food safety investigation.”

More food recalls are occurring daily. Trader Joe’s, for example, has expanded its recall to include Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Trail Mix Cookies and Frozen Gluten Free Peanut Butter.

Also, Boy Scouts of America is alerting its troops that the 9.5-ounce Caramel Corn With Peanuts, which is sold as part of its fund-raising, is being voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer, because the nuts came from Peanut Corp.

Congress needs to strengthen food safety regulations, said Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss. He said the salmonella outbreak shows the current system failed consumers miserably.

“The fact that they did that is an indication that we’re going to have to inject stronger governmental regulations and controls over the food processing industry in this country,” Chambliss said.

— The Associated Press and staff writers Michelle E. Shaw, Bob Keefe and Jeffry Scott contributed to this article.