President of Peanut Corp. will testify in Washington today
(AP) -- The head of a small, family-owned peanut company at the heart of a salmonella investigation has been summoned to Congress by lawmakers seeking answers.
Stewart Parnell, president of Peanut Corp. of America, was subpoenaed for a hearing today of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The committee investigation is starting to zero in on the question of who was responsible for the outbreak that has sickened at least 600 people and may have contributed to eight deaths. Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak says he wants know how Peanut Corp. managed to sell allegedly tainted goods month after month without triggering action by state and federal health authorities.
The 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.
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