February 15, 2007
Sylvester -- Sylvester, Georgia touts itself as the Peanut Capital of the World.
"Peanuts. You think about peanuts in Georgia anyway!" says Margaret Howe.
Peter Pan Peanut Butter. It's right here. Along with Great Value brand peanut butter. Con-Agra Foods is where it all happens, with some 140 employees. It's the largest employer in Sylvester.
"To me, it puts a bad name on a very good brand," Says Myron Brown, who works for Growers Peanut Company, a go-between source for farmers to get their peanuts used in these plants.
Before coming here, he says he spent almost 20 years working at Con-Agra. "I know it's a clean plant. I've had lots of outside contractors come in and comment that this is one of the cleanest food processing plants they've ever been in."
"I'm afraid it could have an adverse affect on everybody around here because it's such a vital part to the community," Brown said.
I walked in to ask. No one would answer our questions. They referred us to a spokesperson in Nebraska.
Now that the company is voluntarily recalling its peanut butter products, some PB lovers are holding off. Some 140 employees here are responsible for making two brands of peanut butter that you see at your favorite grocery store-- Great Value Peanut Butter and the ever popular Peter Pan. Both are being recalled for possible contamination.
In the meantime, representatives from the Food & Drug Administration are here investigating the cause of the outbreak.
- For more information about salmonella-
From the CDC
From the FDA
From the USDA
Feedback: news@walb.com?subject=ConAgra-5PM/BS
If the lid number starts with 2111, the peanut butter has been recalled.
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