Peanut Corporation of America Food Poisoning
The Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) was the peanut-processing business found to be the source for the infamous 2008-2009 US salmonella outbreak. The outbreak is reported to have affected at least 714 people across 46 US states and caused the deaths of 9 people. Approximately half of all people affected were children and it's estimated that 23 per cent of ill people reported being hospitalised.
Extensive testing undertaken by various authorities found that the cause of the salmonella outbreak was the PCA's Blakely, Georgia processing plant. The outbreak saw the biggest national recall in US history carried out when almost 4,000 different products were recalled. Employees from various PCA processing-plants reportedly commented on the 'disgusting' state of their working environments, which included rodent infestations.
After being in business for over 30 years, during which the company had many quality issues, in 2009 the PCA declared bankruptcy and the owner Stewart Parnell and his brother were charged and convicted in 2014 for their part in the outbreak.