Peanut family member asks for understanding

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In her first interview, the daughter of the founder of Lynchburg based Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) talks to WSLS 10 On Your Side.

Beth Falwell says her family is asking the people for the benefit of the doubt, when it comes to the peanut product salmonella investigation.

Beth’s father Hugh founded PCA 33 years ago. She adds that her brother, Stewart Parnell, now runs the company, and would never intentionally hurt his customers. “We started the biz when I was a little girl and my brother’s taken the business since then,“ Falwell said.

Beth also believes there are inaccuracies in the FDA’s reports that claim federal inspectors found filthy conditions at PCA’s plant in Georgia, and denies allegations of “lab-shopping” to get favorable tests results.

Mollie asks: “Did the company knowingly send out products with salmonella?“

Beth responds: “Not to my knowledge, no.“

Beth adds that private companies they do business with send their own inspectors to the plant to check things out. Beth says companies like Kellogg’s would not have done business with PCA, if they found poor conditions.

The FDA believes something different. Federal investigators says PCA shipped out peanut products that had tested positive for salmonella at least 12 times during the past two years. The FDA says PCA shipped each out after retesting did not find salmonella.

The FDA also says its inspectors found mold, a leaking roof, and other sanitary problem at the plant, and has since shut it down.

Mollie: “The FDA said there were roaches in the plant.“

Beth responds: “I’m not saying that there weren’t, but I’m saying it’s a food manufacturing plant. I’m saying it’s exaggerated.“

Both the FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believe the plant is the source of the national salmonella outbreak that made more than 500 people sick, and may have played a role in the deaths of eight people.

Family members of a Minnesota woman who died from salmonella tainted peanut butter have filed a lawsuit against PCA, and its distributor. The lawsuit seeks more than $50,000 in damages.

On Thursday, Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) announced the first congressional hearing on the outbreak. Waxman says he wants to focus on the PCA owned Georgia plant. PCA president Stewart Parnell is expected to testify, as well as representatives from two labs that PCA used for testing.

Food producers in most states are not required to alert health regulators if internal tests show possible contamination at their plants.

Beth says her brother did not break the law.

“Right now it’s not a law maybe it should be but he didn’t break any laws,“ Falwell said.

PCA says it is fully cooperating with the government, and has stopped production at the Georgia plant. Peanut Corp says it’s working to make sure the problem never happens again.

As of Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health says there are 21 cases of this type of salmonella being reported in the Commonwealth.