Peanut product outbreak toll reaches 691, thousands more believed to be sick

The official total of people affected by contaminated peanut products linked to Peanut Corporation of America has reached 691. Eight new cases have been reported in the last week, meaning the outbreak continues.

Reports of people getting sick after eating salmonella products were first reported in September 2008 and since then investigations have revealed disgusting conditions at two PCA processing facilities, leading to the recall of thousands of products dating back to 2007.

Estimates relying on data showing that only 1 in 3 food poisoning cases gets reported believe that more than 20,000 people have been affected by the peanut salmonella outbreak. Nine deaths have been confirmed in the outbreak.

Federal health officials have been quoted as saying they believe more cases will trickle in over the next few months meaning the outbreak and related health advisories will continue. The FDA said it has made contact with 16,000 food manufacturers in an attempt to get these potentially contaminated products off store shelves. Of course, had the FDA made proper contacts leading up to this outbreak, it could have potentially avoided this disaster that only double-underscored the problems facing federal regulators and their inability to protect consumers from dangerous foods.