FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Certain Jars of Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Great Value Peanut Butter

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ^ | February 14, 2007 | Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

[Buddy B]

FDA News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE P07-21 February 14, 2007

Media Inquiries: 301-827-6242

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Certain Jars of Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Great Value Peanut Butter Product May be Contaminated With Salmonella

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter due to risk of contamination with Salmonella Tennessee (a bacterium that causes foodborne illness). The affected jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter have a product code located on the lid of the jar that begins with the number "2111." Both the Peter Pan and Great Value brands are manufactured in a single facility in Georgia by ConAgra. Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected.

If consumers have any of this Peter Pan or Great Value brand peanut butter in their home that has been purchased since May 2006, they should discard it.

Symptoms of foodborne illness caused by Salmonella include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor underlying health or weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections. Individuals who have recently eaten Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 and have experienced any of these symptoms should contact their doctor or health care provider immediately. Any such illnesses should be reported to state or local health authorities.

FDA's warning is based on a just-completed epidemiological study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the states and local health agencies, which links 288 cases of foodborne illness in 39 states to consumption of varying types of Peter Pan peanut butter. This report was provided to FDA on February 13.

The outbreak appears to be ongoing and the first consumer may have become ill in August 2006. The cause of foodborne illnesses can be difficult to identify. As a result of extensive epidemiological testing and recent case control studies, CDC was recently able to identify Peter Pan peanut butter as the likely cause of illness. Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 is manufactured in the same plant as Peter Pan peanut butter and, thus, is believed to be at similar risk of contamination.

ConAgra is recalling all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 that already was distributed. The company also is destroying all affected products in their possession. The company will cease production until the exact cause of contamination can be identified and eliminated. ConAgra will advise consumers to destroy any Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 in their possession. To assist in this endeavor, FDA has sent investigators to ConAgra's processing plant in Sylvester, Georgia where the products are made to review records, collect product samples and conduct tests for Salmonella Tennessee.

FDA will provide regular updates as more information becomes available.

Consumers who have questions should contact ConAgra at 866-344-6970.

[dandelion]

We have two jars here with the code 2111 (bought in a Central Texas Walmart) - one each of "Great Value" and "Peter Pan Honey Roasted". It caused much trauma.

I am devastated, because I had a eighth-week miscarriage of our much-wanted baby just three days ago, after some stomache upset and low-grade fever. I called the doctor crying this morning, all upset because I was just sure I had caused myself to miscarry our poor baby by eating the peanut butter...

Please pray for us. I am just so wracked by guilt right now about what I ate, or didn't eat or did or didn't do. This has been so difficult for us, but God is with us still even in the midst of our heartache.

My doctors called back to try and reassure me that I would have been really, really sick if that were the case, and that I hadn't done anything wrong. But I don't know if I'll ever want peanut butter again.

[Dustbunny]

Geeze, had to run downstairs and check the brand that we buy. Not Peter Pan and never a store brand.

[Cold Heat]

Just got your reply this morning.

If you still have not figured out where the code is, then you probably do not have the stuff in question, or the lids got switched, which happens all to frequently with kids.

The brand is Great Value(Walmart blue label) or Peter Pan. The product codes are all on the top of the lids, and are long but the first four digits are 2111. This indicates the location of MFGR.

If it is not there, and the lids did not get switched, I doubt you have the stuff.

[Famishus]

What's in your pantry? :)

[Marysecretary]

I don't think so. We've had good dinners with them since then (LOL) and no one got sick. I do think it was the milk. There were rumors and articles around that time about salmonella in milk so that may have been it because everyone else was fine. What a memory!

[Marysecretary]

Well, we've almost finished the one Great Value jar so I'm not worried about that one. The unopened was neither of those brands so I guess we're safe (whew).

[Marysecretary]

Yeah, they'll come into your attic and poop all over (smile).

[Marysecretary]

l'm thinking of getting Smart Balance peanut butter. I'm not supposed to eat a lot of it because I'm on dialysis and it has phosphorus in it. O well, gotta die of something.

[RightField]

hmmmmmmmmm ... I just checked my jar of Great Value Peanut Butter. It has the 2111 code, but we have not gotten sick, and the jar has been 90% eaten. Would the salmonella not disperse evenly through the batch? Weird.

[pillut48]

Gotcha. Each to his own! :-)

[Crawdad]

I've got some of the 211 peanut butter also. I bought it here in Kennesaw, GA at Publix (this is not Publix's fault). However, cheapskate that I am, I only buy the peanut butter that's on sale. I got two jars buy-one-get-one-free. I ate half of one jar, no problem.
I didn't get sick from the peanut butter, but I almost did when I realized I'd wasted money.
God, I am cheap.
No fear, I'm taking them back to Publix for a refund. I wonder if they'll cover the cost of the gas for my trip.........

[pillut48]

{{{{{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}}

Condolences on your loss from someone who suffers from recurrent miscarriages. :*(

I know how easy it is to blame yourself for something like this, but in my experience, there's a reason God didn't let your pregnancy go forward--since you didn't get very sick, I imagine the peanut butter really didn't cause the loss, but probably something else, sadly, probably chromosomal in nature. :*(

I'm so sorry you are going through this fear on top of your loss. I've said prayers for your healing, and for God to bless you with a living healthy child soon. Take care.

[Ax]

I'm sure you'll be able to recover the price of the PP, but good luck in getting them to spring for your gas.

[Ax]

I guess there are worse ways to shuffle off this mortal coil than ODing on peanut butter. I'll lay off the Peter Pan for a while and then go back. IMHO it's the best-tasting peanut butter on the market.

[BonneBlue]

"Wow, I can't believe so many FReepers have this peanut butter!"

I don't have it. I feel left out.

[TASMANIANRED]

ConAgra Foods
P.O. Box 3768
Omaha, NE 68130

Need to send them the lid for a refund.

[RoseyT]

Thanks for the ping. We have 3 jars with those numbers.

[CTGOPPER]

I bought six jars of Peter Pan "whipped" peanut butter online awhile back because I couldn't find the "whipped" kind in my area. Sadly, they have those numbers. But I've already eaten 2 of the 6 jars so it is not a total loss.

[Marysecretary]

There was no number on our lid. Hmmmm.

[TASMANIANRED]

The jar we have at work is clearly stamped right on top.