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

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.

Discard it? My two jars are going back to the store where I bought them along with a print out of the article. It's refund time.

Dern right!

Hey...I got the 2111 codes on three jars of Peter Pan in the refrigerator right now! Time for the Lottery!

BTW:

I keep my peanut butter in the refrigerator to reduce the chances of its growing a nasty substance called aflatoxin—a carcinogen. :-(

http://www.1010wins.com/pages/234747.php?contentType=4&contentId=326288
CDC: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Peanut Butter

ATLANTA -- 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.

Hey, what are you guys talking about anyway?

*NONE* of these products, "Skippy", "Peter Pan", "JIF" are real peanut butter. they a just sweetened peanut-flavored Crisco.

You have to work to eat *real* peanut butter since it separates in the jar. Smuckers Crunchy natural peanut butter is *SO* much better than that other stuff.

Of course, I have a grinder and make my own - end up eating it with a spoon straight out of the jar. Make pistachio butter as well every once and a while (expensive).

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