On Monday, former egg industry executives Jack DeCoster and his son Peter were sentenced to three months in jail for their roles in a major 2010 salmonella outbreak.

The move has represented the latest high-profile victory for government officials, who are looking forward to emphasize food safety.

The three-month sentences handed down in federal court are notable as only a few cases of corporate misconduct results into putting executives behind bars.

The decision for the jail time was decided on the basis of the extent of harm caused by the outbreak and the pattern of problems.

Both the executives have faced up to a year in jail on misdemeanor charges for shipping adulterated food. They will stay free while appealing their sentences.

US District Judge Mark Bennett said that in his view it was a litany of shameful conduct, happened under their watch.

According o the prosecutors, the jail sentences have sent a strong message about the importance of following food safety rules.

Peter Deegan, the assistant US attorney who prosecuted the case, said that in such a case, a sentence of imprisonment is a fairly significant sentence.

In last 18 months, two Colorado cantaloupe farmers have been convicted and have received probation in a deadly 2011 listeria outbreak. The former owner of Peanut Corporation of America was also convicted in a 2008 salmonella outbreak, whereas the peanut executive, Stewart Parnell, has yet to be sentenced.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention around 1,939 illnesses were linked to the outbreak, but the officials estimate that up to 56,000 people may have been sickened.

Investigators have argued that the DeCosters were already aware that their Iowa egg facilities were at risk for salmonella contamination before the outbreak.