Peanut company executive sentenced to 28 years imprisonment for salmonella outbreak in US

A former executive of a US-based peanut company has been convicted of shipping salmonella-tainted peanut butter and has been sent to prison for 28 years.

A federal judge in Georgia ruled that Stewart Parnell, former owner of Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), knowingly shipped contaminated peanut butter from the Georgia facility, as well as faked results of lab tests meant for screening salmonella.

He has been held responsible for the 2008 and 2009 salmonella outbreak, which killed nine people and infected 714. This was one of the largest food recalls in the country’s history.

Besides Parnell, his brother Michael Parnell, a food broker, has also been sentenced for 20 years imprisonment.

Michael supplied peanut paste from PCA to food manufacturer Kellogg’s.

Federal authorities found a leaky roof and rodents in the plant, which are ideal conditions to brew salmonella.

Besides, they found emails and records that showed that the food was shipped despite lab tests confirming that the products were tainted with salmonella.

The judge said: "These acts were driven simply by the desire to profit and to protect profits notwithstanding the known risks from salmonella. This is commonly and accurately referred to as greed."

Parnell’s defence attorney Tom Bondurant was quoted by Nzherald.com as saying that 28 years in prison would amount to a life sentence and they intend to appeal the sentence.

"If you compare it with other food safety criminal cases, it’s tremendously out of line," Bondurant said.