ConAgra defends its pot pies and decision not to recall them

OMAHA -- A day after warning consumers about the link between pot pies and a salmonella outbreak, officials from ConAgra Foods Inc. and USDA defended the decision not to recall the product.

The pot pies were being pulled from store shelves Wednesday at the company's request, but a prominent food poisoning lawyer criticized the decision not to recall the Banquet and generic pot pies.

ConAgra's pot pies have been linked to at least 139 cases of salmonella in 30 states. Consumers have been warned not to eat the pot pies, and ConAgra is offering refunds. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at least 20 people have been hospitalized, but so far no deaths have been linked to the pot pies.

ConAgra spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said the Omaha-based company decided with USDA officials that a consumer alert would more appropriate than a recall, and consumer interests would still be protected.

Even though the pot pies have not been recalled, Childs said ConAgra asked stores to pull all the pies with the identifying "P-9" code on them from store shelves and not sell them.

The largest numbers of salmonella cases confirmed so far have been in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

Childs said Wednesday that the company shut down the pot pie production line at its Marshall, Mo., plant, but the rest of the plant, which employs about 650 people, has continued operating.