Worker: I Saw Rat Roasting In Peanut Plant

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CBS

A former employee of the Georgia peanut plant at the center of a criminal investigation in a nationwide salmonella outbreak says he saw a rat dry-roasting in a peanut area.

Jonathan Prather was one of 50 people who lost their jobs last month when the Peanut Corporation of America shut down its plant in Blakely.

The outbreak is blamed in as many as eight deaths and has sickened some 500 people, authorities say. Many products made with peanut paste from the plant have been recalled.

In addition, a peanut processing plant in Texas run by the Virginia company blamed for the outbreak operated for years un-inspected and unlicensed by government health officials, The Associated Press has learned.

Prather, 29, told Early Show national correspondent Jeff Glor the facility is dirty.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/03/earlyshow/health/main4771754.shtml

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On edit related:

A peanut processing plant in Texas run by the Virginia company blamed for a national salmonella outbreak operated for years uninspected and unlicensed by government health officials, The Associated Press has learned.

The Peanut Corp. of America plant in Plainview never was inspected until after the company fell under investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to Texas health records obtained by AP.

Once inspectors learned about the Texas plant, they found no sign of salmonella there. But new details about that plant - including how it could have operated unlicensed for nearly four years - raise questions about the adequacy of government efforts to keep the nation's food supply safe. Texas is among states where the FDA relies on state inspectors to oversee food safety.

The salmonella outbreak was traced to the company's sister plant in Blakely, Ga., where inspectors found roaches, mold, a leaking roof and internal records of more than a dozen positive tests for salmonella.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/03/health/main4771637.shtml?tag=topHome;topStories

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

1. Interesting if true. nt

[WriteDown]

2. Doubtful the rat carried salmonella....

Just saying.

[POAS]

4. Salmonella is transmitted

to humans by eating food contaminated by animal feces.

I'm sure that roasting rat had perfectly clean feces, aren't you?

[WriteDown]

8. You're thinking of typhoidal salmonella...

Fairly rare. Rats can carry salmonella, but MUCH more likely with poultry and reptiles. You probably have more salmonella in the sponge next to your sink than most rats.

[POAS]

11. Salmonella or not

having roasting rodents mixed in with the peanuts can't signal good standards within the plants involved.

Looks like when they started drowning the government in the bathtub they started with the health inspectors and regulators.

[WriteDown]

12. Heck...

Totally agree with you. :). There was some drink in Kenya while I was there where they were known to soak a rat in in while it was fermenting. Needless to say, I did not drink it.

[POAS]

21. The HECK you say?

I guess it is really better to not know how sausage is made. Unless, of course, you want to stay healthy!

[WriteDown]

22. Read my post again.

Heck, totally agree with you....

[POAS]

24. I know you did

My snark is a little off key today!

:-)

[WriteDown]

25. Haha...

that time it was right on point. :)

[onehandle]

3. Peanut Flavored Roasted Rat is a delicacy here in Georgia.

Them's good eatin'.

[SmileyRose]

5. OK, now that's funny.

gross, but funny.

[toopers]

10. The peanut dipping sauce is what makes it a delicacy!

I really like the rat lettuce wraps too.

[8 track mind]

14. yepper, ain't nothin' tastier than a dry roasted rodent!

i wonder if dry roasted squirrel is good?

[LiberalHeart]

20. You have to be careful not to overcook them If you do, they taste like Kentucky Fried Chicken.

[Buns_of_Fire]

30. Ummmmm... I'm cravin' a big ol' bowl of hot, steamin' ratatouille right about now...

Served with grits, of course, since I AM a southerner. I usually forego the peanut sauce unless I'm in an Asian mood.

[hedgehog]

6. Well, if the rat was thouroughly cooked, then no problem!

[Vinca]

7. I suppose he didn't call health officials at the time. nt

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

28. Or maybe suggesst to his manager that they should get it out

[global1]

9. Any Criminal Investigations Should Go Down To The Level Of The Companies That......

used any output by these plants in the food that they sold at their stores. Why didn't they do better due diligence in selecting their manufacturing source for their products? There are a lot more people to blame in this than just the negligence of the people that ran these plants.

[KamaAina]

13. Rat. The other white meat.

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[closeupready]

15. Supposedly, it's not that bad.

I've never tried it, though. Never will, either. :rofl:

[KamaAina]

18. I have, in fact, seen pictures from China

of a butcher shop, kind of like one here with a chicken hanging in the window, only with a rat. Grain-fed, apparently. It did, in fact, look as big as a cat!

[closeupready]

29. I believe during the Nazi occupation of Paris, when food supplies became scarce,

such vermin became valued as a good source of protein (which, if you are starving and the rat is healthy, hey, you do what you have to, I guess). As with pigeons, too.

[shaniqua6392]

39. I dun herd it tastes like chicken!!

Mmmmm.......Yummy! :rofl:

[Echotrail]

37. Ew. Samonella wasn't bad enough

Now they tell us.

[guitar man]

16. mmmm

Roasted Rat

[slackmaster]

17. How much rat has it got in it?

:argh:

[balantz]

19. I'm glad it was thoroughly cooked.

I swear I've found a few finger-tip pads with print whorls in hot dogs.

[nc4bo]

23. ugh.

:puke:

My hubby says I'd be surprised at how many bugs or rodent parts are in my bowl of cornflakes, Cream of Wheat, oatmeal or <insert favorite grain product here>.

I just looked at him and said you're probably right-O then felt like :puke:.

[Romulox]

26. That rat was put there by the "invisible hand of the market"!

All we need for businesses to flourish is get out of the way and let them do what they do best. After all, what does the government know about public safety?

[truthisfreedom]

27. "You got rat in my peanut butter!" "Hey, you got peanut butter on my rat!"

"You get two great tastes in one candy bar... Reese's peanut butter Rat®!"

[BootinUp]

36. Rofl.

[libnnc]

38. DUzy

:spray:

[KG]

31. see, industry doesn't need regulation, coz they'll police themselves!

ah, i love the smell of free markets in the morning. it smells like....roasted rat!

[acmavm]

32. I KNEW what I was getting into when I clicked on this thread. I knew

exactly where it was headed.

Hilarious.

[edbermac]

33. Rat? Yuck! Personally I prefer Crunchy Frog.

[DinahMoeHum]

34. . . . a slice of Strawberry Tart Without So Much Rat In It.

:rofl::rofl:

[myrna minx]

35. G. Gordon Liddy's All American Dry Roasted Rat. Same great taste! 30% MORE salmonella!

Mmmmmmmm.

[MorningGlow]

40. "I'll have a slice without so much rat in it." n/t

[Sequoia]

41. Dead rats roasting on an open fire

Peanuts rotting to the core
And folks dressed like Eskimos

That reminds me...I LOVE Eskimo Pie ice cream bars.

[aikoaiko]

42. Its a delicacy someplace.

[marshall]

43. Dry-roasted rat will start to look very good after a year or two of this economy

People will eat anything if they're hungry enough.