You don't, generally. Peanuts used to make peanut butter or paste or other types of peanut products are roasted to around 350 degrees for a period of time that kills all bacteria, including salmonella.
The problem here is that the Peanut Corporation of America's plant in Blakely, GA, wasn't being run with the proper controls in place to avoid contamination further down the line in the process. My understanding is that the actual infestation was found by the FDA/CDC to have been in a filler head at the end of the production line, indicating that poor sanitation controls were in place. Something caused the contamination (perhaps particles of bird droppings got on something that made it onto the equipment) and this particular plant was cutting corners when it shouldn't have been.
Their lax sanitation practices have killed several people and sickened hundreds, and is costing the industry millions of dollars in the short term, and perhaps tens or hundreds of millions in the long term by frightening the general public about peanuts.
This also happened back in 2006, I believe; the culprit turned out to be a leaky roof, allowing bird droppings to filter down to the ceiling panels, which eventually leaked onto the production equipment, allowing salmonella into the product. In neither case (2006 or this outbreak) did peanuts have anything to do with the problem, it could as easily have been in a butter factory or a cookie dough manufacturer or an ice cream plant. Unfortunately, peanuts are getting the black eye when there's really no reason they should.
It's one damned factory run by a family that has had a history of less-than-stellar corporate practices, and the rest of us are suffering because of it. I hope someone ends up in jail over this.
In China, they gave the death penalty to some people willfully involved in the melamine scandal. I'm not suggesting the same should take place here, but someone has to pay.
This is the first I have looked into the matter.
My initial reaction was “how in the hell does peanuts support salmonella?”
I suppose anything can be tainted if you take a dump in it
I understand certain dog treats are also suspect. Now, that’s getting serious. :)
Si, no obla de En-gliss. What jhuue meen, wash hands after bafroom? We no need wash hands after baf.