Company closes after salmonella outbreak

October 22, 2004
Associated Press
Vicki Smith

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Publicity from a salmonella outbreak has, according to this story, put Wheeling, West Virginia-based Coronet Foods , a produce company, out of business, even though inspections found no trace of the bacteria at the plant.

The story says that the closure comes more than three months after 400 people in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland fell ill because they ate sandwiches with contaminated tomatoes at Sheetz convenience stores. Coronet was a supplier to Sheetz, but officials still do not know where the tomatoes became contaminated.

Coronet Chief Executive Officer Ernie Pascua was quoted as saying Friday that, "There was a thorough inspection. The results were in compliance in every aspect of our business."

Following the salmonella outbreak, Sheetz dropped Coronet's services, and the company's sales plummeted by 40 percent. Pascua is still trying to broker a deal that would keep the company afloat but has so far been unsuccessful.

Bill Marler, an attorney representing 107 victims, was cited as saying he planned to pursue three lawsuits against Coronet.

Pascua said he is confident the company will be cleared when the FDA finishes tracing all the vegetables back to their source.