According to recent reports in the salmonella outbreak case, the owner of the Georgia plant knew there were some problems at the plant. In some e-mails Stewart Parnell, owner of Peanut Corp. of America, sent, he instructed employees to ship peanut products even though he knew those products were tainted with deadly salmonella.

These peanut products were delivered to institutional settings, such as nursing homes and hospitals, triggering a national salmonella outbreak that was blamed for 600 illnesses and at least eight deaths.

More than 1,800 products have been recalled and manufacturers have lost millions of dollars.

The peanut plant involved in the outbreak issued a “certificate of analysis” last June, according to which its peanut products were free of salmonella. The owner of the pant assured all consumers that their products are free of salmonella. At the same time, in a September e-mail the Peanut Corp. plant manager was telling Parnell that a Peanut Corp. product had tested positive for salmonella.

It appears that these tests weren’t a reason of concern for Parnell, who wrote back, saying that he goes thru this about once a week and he will hold his breath again.

He decided to ignore the results of the tests and to put his profits ahead of public safety.

Both company president Stewart Parnell and Sammy Lightsey, manger of the Blakely plant at the center of the salmonella investigation declined to answer questions from a House panel, invoking the right not to present self-incriminating evidence.