Peanut Corp. exec called on to testify

WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional committee issued a subpoena Tuesday for the top executive of a small company that allegedly shipped the tainted peanut products responsible for a national salmonella outbreak.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to compel Peanut Corp. of America President Stewart Parnell to appear at a hearing today, as a wide-ranging investigation focuses on who was responsible for an outbreak that has sickened at least 600 people, including at least 89 in Ohio, and may have contributed to eight deaths.

“Hopefully, people are going to be held accountable,” said Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the committee’s investigations panel. The full committee approved the subpoena by voice vote, without opposition.

Stupak says he wants to know how Peanut Corp. managed to sell allegedly tainted goods month after month without triggering action by state and federal health authorities.

The family-owned company, now under FBI investigation, makes only about 1 percent of U.S. peanut products. But its ingredients are used by dozens of other food companies, and the list of recalls now tops 1,840 foods.

Also on the witness list for the hearing is Sammy Lightsey, manager of Peanut Corp.’s facility in Blakely, Ga., which produced and shipped the peanut butter and peanut paste blamed for the outbreak.

Federal law forbids producing or shipping foods under conditions that could harm consumers’ health.

Peanut Corp.’s troubles mounted this week as the FBI raided corporate headquarters in Lynchburg, Va., as well as the Georgia plant. On Monday night, the company closed a second facility, in Plainview, Texas, after its own tests found possible salmonella contamination in some products. None of the products had been distributed to consumers, but the finding raised the prospect of a broader recall.

The company has said it is still investigating what happened and has expressed regret and concern for people who became ill. It is not clear whether Parnell will testify today or assert his constitutional right to not answer questions that may incriminate him.