Updated list of recalled peanut products

It is getting harder and harder to keep on top of the many products that are now affected by the recall of products tied to Peanut Corporation of America.  To date (2/4), the FDA continues to state, "Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the PCA recall."  Many other products: snack bars, cookies, cakes and candies are affected.  There is a complete list (updated daily) on the FDA's web site: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html

Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak in Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter-Containing Products

(The following is a summary of information available from the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and national news outlets).

Since September 2008, 550 people from 43 of the United States and Canada have been found to be sick with a type of Salmonella known as Salmonella Typhimurium.  The work of local and national public health authorities have traced this particular Salmonella to peanuts processed by the Peanut Corporation of America in Blakely, Georgia.  Peanut Corporation of American has ceased operation and have recalled all products produced at their Georgia facility since July 1, 2008.  While Peanut Corporation of American supplied less than 1% of peanut products sold in the U.S., the company reportedly supplied peanut butter and peanut paste to more than 300 customers, many of whom used Peanut Corporation of America's products as an ingredient.

King Nut peanut butter served in institutions, such as schools and nursing homes, and peanut butter-containing products, such as Austin and Keebler prepackaged peanut butter crackers, sold directly to the public, are responsible for this outbreak.  Hundreds of other peanut butter-containing products are under investigation, and many products have been recalled pending further information.  Over 800 products have been recalled - ranging from cookies to crackers to ice cream; pet food has also been recalled.  The FDA and the CDC note that national brand name jars of peanut butter sold in grocery stores, such as Skippy and Jif are not, at this time, associated with this outbreak.

Consumers who want the most up-to-date information can find a complete list of recalled products on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html  The number of products on this list is expected to increase.  The FDA, along with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to investigate this outbreak with the help of local officials.  A searchable database of products is available online: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm and the CDC today (4 February 2009) unveiled a web site with up-to-date recall information: http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/ Consumers without Internet access may call 1-800-CDC-INFO (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week) for product recall information. Consumers may also wish to call a food company directly; food companies are required to list their phone number on any packaged food item.

Both the FDA and the CDC recommend the following to consumers:

• Consumers who have recalled products in their homes should discard those products.
• Consumers also should avoid eating products made with peanut butter, peanut paste, or other peanut-containing products if they are unsure whether these products have been recalled.
• National brands of jarred peanut butter sold in grocery stores have not been implicated in this outbreak.
• Consumers with pets should know that some pet foods and pet treats may contain peanut butter, including dog biscuits and bird food.  If you have a recalled pet product in your household, do not feed it to your pet or other animals.  For more information about this outbreak and your pet, you may visit Questions and Answers Related to the Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak and Pets (http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium/salmonella_pets.html)

The illness salmonellosis is characterized by diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, usually 12 to 72 hours after infection, but the onset of symptoms can take longer.  The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment.  However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.  In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.  The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.  Persons who think they might have become ill from eating peanut butter or peanut-containing products should consult their health-care providers.

Dr. Barbara Ingham
Food Science Extension Specialist
115 Babcock Hall
1605 Linden Drive
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI 53706
608-263-7383
Fax 608-262-6872
www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/