ConAgra to Plead Guilty in 2006 Salmonella-Tainted Peanut Butter Case
About 10 years ago, ConAgra’s Peter Pan brand peanut butter sickened hundreds of consumers in a multi-state Salmonella outbreak. Now, the food giant is heading to court to complete an $11.2 million settlement--the largest criminal fine ever ordered in a U.S. food safety case.
A multi-state peanut butter outbreak was announced in 2006, followed by a massive peanut butter recall in 2007. More than 600 people fell ill in 47 states when a Sylvester, Georgia peanut plant produced Salmonella-tainted peanut butter products for then Omaha-based ConAgra Foods. The company, now headquartered in Chicago, goes by the name ConAgra Brands. The outbreak also affected Walmart’s Great Value branded peanut butter.