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.

[Buddy B]

I'll use your Post # 278 to post his one.

San Diego, CA:   A local 95-year-old woman is among the 290 people in 39 states that contracted salmonella after consuming tainted peanut butter, according to the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health.

10news.com/news/
Requires sign-up to read online?

The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Public Health Services {continues surveillance in the wake of a nationwide announcement of a recall of two different brands of peanut butter in 39 states, due to an association of illness with salmonella after consuming the product.}

I'll try to follow this story.

[Republican Wildcat]

Great Value is the brand I have - no product code printed. There is an indention of a number on the bottom of the jar - the only numbers on there other than the sell by date.

No kids to switch the jar lids around on me yet.

I guess also the fact this is a jumbo size jar and 4/5 of it I have eaten and not gotten sick is another indication this is not one of the tainted jars.

[cookiedough]

Someone on another website posted that it was the jars themselves that were contaminated, not the pb, so even if you have an opened jar that you've had no problems with, you should get rid of it.

Dole is recalling canteloupes sold in Quebec & on the east coast, for the same reason - salmonella.

[dandelion]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful post. It has given me great comfort tonight. I am so glad to see your lovely Maya on your homepage! She truly is a blessing from God, isn't she? :)

God is good. We have been blessed with our children, and we are so grateful for them.

[brlumi1968]

To Dandelion,
I also suffered from a miscarriage recently. I was 6 weeks along when I lost my baby. I consumed the recalled peanut butter almost everyday I was pregnant. During my 4th week, I became extremely ill (migraine, throwing up, diarrhea). At the time, I thought it was a migraine that got out of control. (When I'm not pregnant, I can take Imitrex for migraines). I also had diarrhea almost everyday I was pregnant. I'm curious to know if I had salmonella poisoning. I wonder if theres a place I can have the peanut butter tested.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Usually I throw unwanted scraps like hopefully-lethal-to-squirrels peanut butter and stale bread at the treeline which is about fifty yards across the lawn, on the theory that the rodents will learn to look for food there and stay away from the birdfeeder and house - it hasn't saved the feeder, but so far there aren't any squirrels pooping in the attic.......

[dandelion]

I so sorry to hear of your loss of your precious baby. It is so difficult, and so hard to explain to those who have not experienced such a loss. I have been very blessed to have wonderful support from my family and friends, and I hope you are as well.

I was told to go to my primary care provider to be tested for the bacteria, but he felt that my symptoms were too mild to have been salmonella...

Go to your doctor and ask to have a sample taken. If nothing else it may ease your questioning.

I am praying for you. May your heart be filled with love and comfort from God.

[zip]

thx for the address. I saw it on TV news but didn't have time to dig up pen and paper.

[TASMANIANRED]

You are welcome...

[Marysecretary]

That's good. We had squirrels in the old house we bought and when we rolled down insulation in the attic, we discovered that they peeled it all up and put it in a big pile. I guess THEY kept warm anyway.

[Marysecretary]

Hubby threw the jar out anyway, just in case. Now we have another one we got from Aldi's--peanut delight or some such thing.

[pillut48]

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

I'm so sorry about your loss too. :*(

I hope you find the answers that will comfort you during this time.

[Perseverando]

Count me in, too. My wife found a jar of Peter Pan in our cabinet about 1/2 hour ago. It's 2111.

My Mom checked her's the other day and it was the same. She was sick last weekend with stomach problems. She had eaten some peanut butter on 2/9. It's possible the peanut butter was at fault. Who knows?