(WSB Radio) Both federal and state prosecutors are looking into filing charges against a Georgia company at the center of a nationwide salmonella outbreak.

Federal officials say it's too early to determine what action, if any, they'll take against the managers of the Blakely plant owned by Peanut Company of America.

Documents show company officials knew that peanut products at that plant were contaminated with salmonella but continued shipping them out anyway.

500 people across the country have been sickened by the illness.  Eight people have died.

"Known circulation of adulterated food can led to proceedings in criminal court," says WSB legal analyst Ron Carlson.  "With the interstate distribution of tainted products such as occurred in this case, company officials are open to federal charges for doing just that."

Carlson says that while most prosecutors don't seek jail time for companies, this case may be different because the officials knew their products were tainted.

A first test of the peanut products came back positive for salmonella.  The company then went to a second lab, which cleared the products for distribution. 

"I expect the company will try to rely on the second food test," Carlson says, "but prosecutors will argue you do not take a chance once your own test reveals salmonella."

State charges are also possible in any of the states where people were sickened or died.

Peanut Corporation expanded its recall Wednesday to all peanut products produced at the plant since January 1, 2007. The company is relatively small, but its peanut paste is an ingredient in hundreds of other food products, from ice cream, to Asian-style sauces, to dog biscuits. Major national brands of peanut butter are not affected.