Company Knew they were Selling Pistachios with Salmonella

Setton Pistachio, of Terra Bella, Inc. (a California company) knew their pistachios were contaminated with salmonella for 6 months but continued to ship them according to the FDA. The amount of Salmonella  that can cause illness may be small, from 15 to 20 cells.  Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting. Is there an acceptable amount of bacteria, like salmonella, that a company can allow into the food chain?  Is that the conduct of a reasonably careful manufacturer/distributor of food products? For more information, click here.