Consumers who may have been poisoned by ConAgra Food Inc.’s, peanut butter, ground beef, and chicken aren’t taking it easy on the food processing giant from Omaha, Nebraska. With at least 39 peanut butter food-poisoning suits against the company already filed, consumers who may have been poisoned are filing individual lawsuits while maintaining a surge for class-action status.

ConAgra’s alleged food-poisoning troubles began in July 2002, when it recalled 19 million pounds of ground beef and 36,000 pounds of chicken that may have been contaminated with harmful bacteria. In 2003 the company recalled 129,000 pounds of chicken that may have had glass in it. A 2005 recall of some 3 million pounds of prepackaged lunch meat and cracker products was prompted because of Listeria concerns.

In February 2007, more than 400,000 pounds of undercooked pasta and meatball meals were recalled because they may have carried Salmonella food-borne bacteria. Now the company has recalled peanut butter products that may carry Salmonella. Peter Pan and Great Value are two of ConAgra’s brands suspected of Salmonella contamination.

One law firm in Seattle said it has received 2,200 contacts from families who may have been sickened with salmonellosis, the infectious disease caused by foodborne Salmonella bacteria. Thirty-two people have joined up for multidistrict litigation in an Atlanta federal court. Those 32 plaintiffs, who include children hospitalized with Salmonella poisoning after eating peanut butter, are seeking more than $5 million in damages from the company.

Source: R. Robin McDonald, Fulton County Daily Report, “ConAgra Faces 39 Suits Over Bad Peanut Butter,” August 13, 2007.