ConAgra Foods May Face Criminal Charges Over 2007 Tainted Peanut Butter Recall

A federal investigation launched in 2011 over a 2007 recall of Salmonella-tainted Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter may result in criminal charges against the owner of the Sylvester, Ga., production plant, ConAgra Foods, Inc. The company said in a statement, however, that it was negotiating with the U.S. Department of Justice and it believes the outcome will be a “misdemeanor criminal disposition” of the case. The focus of the investigation was a damaged  roof that may have led to water-contamination of the production process. The tainted peanut butter purportedly caused 288 foodborne illnesses across 39 states.