Go check your Peter Pan peanut butter for....

[Lizbeth]

Thought everyone here might need to check their pb......

ATLANTA (AP) - A salmonella outbreak that has slowly grown to nearly 300 cases in 39 states since August has been linked to tainted peanut butter, federal health officials said Wednesday.

It is believed to be the first salmonella outbreak associated with peanut butter in U.S. history, said officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About 20 percent of the 288 infected people have been hospitalized, but none has died, said Dr. Mike Lynch, a CDC epidemiologist.

About 85 percent of the infected people said they ate peanut butter, CDC officials said.

How salmonella got into peanut butter is still under investigation, Lynch said.

The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter because of the risk of contamination.

The affected jars have a product code on the lid that begins with the number "2111." The affected jars are made by ConAgra in a single facility in Sylvester, Ga., the FDA said.

Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected, the agency said.

ConAgra said it is recalling all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111.

"Although none of our extensive product tests have indicated the presence of salmonella, we are taking this precautionary measure because consumer health and safety is out top priority," spokesman Chris Kircher said. "We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed to ensure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products."

The largest number of salmonella cases were reported in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.

Salmonella infection is known each year to sicken about 40,000 people in the United States, according to the CDC. Salmonellosis, as the infection is known, kills about 600 people annually.

Symptoms of salmonella can include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting.

The new outbreak began in August, but just two or fewer cases have been reported each day, CDC officials said.

It was only in the past few days that investigators were able to hone in on a particular food, Lynch said.

ConAgra is destroying all affected products the company still has, the FDA said.

The company will cease production until the exact cause of contamination can be identified and eliminated. Meanwhile, ConAgra advised consumers to destroy any Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111.

The FDA sent investigators to ConAgra's processing plant in Sylvester where the products were made to review records, collect product samples and conduct tests for salmonella.
___________________________________

Link to ConAgra Foods wb info;
http://investor.conagrafoods.com/phoenix.z...&highlight=

[debbyj]

I had to call my son's school yesterday and relay the message to him to throw away his peanut butter sandwich (do not trade it!) . We discovered the recall and product code number on the new jar after he left for school. Talk about a close call!

[Donna D.]

I knew there was a reason I eat Adams Peanut Butter...the unsalted kind. 100% peanuts, nothing added...and hopefully that means no salmonella either.

[Christi V.]

I had 2 of the GV jars from Walmart.... but I think i ate one all up and the other I just checked it yesterday... yep... 2111 was on the lid... Lucky that batch wasnt tainted but i took it back yesterday anyways....

[Brian B-P]

I knew there was a reason I eat Adams Peanut Butter...the unsalted kind. 100% peanuts, nothing added...and hopefully that means no salmonella either.

I believe that essentially any agricultural product can be contaminated with salmonella, and there's not much more than peanuts in typical PB anyway - salt and sugar (not likely sources), and added peanut oil (seems even less likely source than whole peanuts).

While I applaud the diligent efforts of agencies such as the FDA, and I understand that this really seriously affected some people, if this were enough to make me worry about peanut butter I think I'd be paralyzed in fear of everything.

[Susan Tiller]

I believe that essentially any agricultural product can be contaminated with salmonella, and there's not much more than peanuts in typical PB anyway - salt and sugar (not likely sources), and added peanut oil (seems even less likely source than whole peanuts).

While I applaud the diligent efforts of agencies such as the FDA, and I understand that this really seriously affected some people, if this were enough to make me worry about peanut butter I think I'd be paralyzed in fear of everything.

You might want to re-think not worrying about peanut butter. I consider PB a camping staple and went through at lease 3 jars and a piece of a jar between this past May and my last trip in January 07. I kept having everything in the symptoms but vomiting. It would get a little better and then return with a vengeance. A trip to the hospital, fluids and the whole gambit. I am one of the PB salmonella victims. Not only were the jars in the egg guilty, but I know of at least two and the 1/2 jars in the kitchen pantry that were the bad ones. I didn't know, kept eating it and so goes the story.

I can tell you that even if it is not a serious life/death matter, it is no fun and you are very miserable. All the documentation and tests are being submitted by my doctor to the local health department.

As you may have guessed, I ate a lot of PB up until last Thursday. I do applaud the FDA. I am thankful for their efforts because now I will not keep getting reinfected.

[dsheets70]

I had 2 of the GV jars from Walmart.... but I think i ate one all up and the other I just checked it yesterday... yep... 2111 was on the lid... Lucky that batch wasnt tainted but i took it back yesterday anyways....

That dirty rotten couple SAM and ELLA.
Seriously though I like peanut butter a lot!!! one of my staples. Great source of protein.