Officials from the Food and Drug Administration failed to force a quick recall of peanut butter and almond food products after the confirmation of salmonella contamination.

Despite new legal powers to compel recalls and sophisticated technology to fingerprint pathogens, the Food and Drug Administration allowed some food-safety investigations to drag on, placing consumers in jeopardy of death or serious illness, according to the inspector general’s office at the Department of Health and Human Services.

In an unusual urgent warning called an “early alert,” the internal watchdog said the FDA needs to pay “immediate attention” to the problem and follow clear procedures to get manufacturers to promptly recall tainted foods.

“Months and weeks when peoples’ lives are on the line?” asked lead investigator George Nedder. “It needs to be done faster.”

Read More: U.S. News