HOUSTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A Texas company owned by Peanut Corp. of America was fined 14.6 million U.S. dollars for alleged violations of state food safety regulations, authorities said Thursday.

    Plainview Peanut Co., LLC was fined over alleged violations include unsanitary conditions, product contamination, illnesses linked to consumption of peanuts from the plant and operating for almost four years without a food manufacturer's license from the state, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said in a statement.

    The DSHS said it sent a "notice of violation" to the company on Wednesday.

    The Plainview plant was closed in February and all of its products shipped since it opened in March 2005 were recalled.

    Owner of the plant, Peanut Corp. of America, was blamed for a nationwide salmonella outbreak that has sickened about 700 people and is suspected to be the cause of at least nine deaths.