( CNN ) -- The peanut processing company at the heart of a national salmonella outbreak , Peanut Corp. of America , filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in court Friday in Lynchburg , Virginia . Peanut Corp. of America plants in Georgia and Texas came under scrutiny after the salmonella outbreak . The documents were filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of Virginia . The bankruptcy papers were signed by Stewart Parnell , the president of Peanut Corp. , who invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination in refusing to answer questions this week in a congressional hearing . Bacteria found in the company 's Blakely , Georgia , peanut processing plant have been blamed for more than 600 cases of salmonella , including nine deaths . Watch how bankruptcy could affect case » . The Texas Health Department on Thursday ordered products from the company 's plant in Plainview , Texas , to be recalled after discovering dead rodents , rodent excrement and bird feathers in the plant . Watch what health inspectors found » . A call to the company 's telephone number , which was working earlier this week , elicited a recording that said it was no longer in service . `` The long and the short of it is that we kicked the tires on reorganizing the company , and , frankly , they 're just in a position now where they ca n't even conduct business , '' said Andrew S. Goldstein , a lawyer for the company . `` They ca n't operate at all , and this just seemed like the inevitable course . '' In a written statement , Consumers Union said Friday 's declaration shows that Congress needs to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration and hike the penalties it can impose . `` It is unacceptable for corporations to put consumers ' health at risk and then simply declare bankruptcy and go out of business when they get caught , '' said Jean Halloran , director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union , publisher of Consumer Reports . `` PCA 's declaration of bankruptcy will , among other things , shield it from liability suits filed by consumers who became sick or whose loved ones died as a result of eating PCA 's peanut products , '' she said .
NEW : FDA says filing shows need for stronger Consumers Union . NEW : Move will shield company from liability lawsuits , group says . Bacteria in company plant in Texas blamed for nine of salmonella cases . Products from company plant in Georgia recalled after dead rodents found .