CDC confirms Salmonella Pot Pie outbreak has been ongoing since January 2007 – a month before the Salmonella outbreak tied to ConAgra peanut butter was announced in February 2007.

Investigation of Outbreak of Human Infections Caused by Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:-

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states across the United States and with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service to investigate an ongoing multi-state outbreak of Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- (pronounced “four five twelve eye minus”) infections in humans. An investigation that used interviews comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons is showing that eating Banquet brand pot pies produced by the ConAgra Foods company is the likely source of the illness.

Between January 1, 2007 and October 9, 2007, at least 152 isolates of Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- with an indistinguishable genetic fingerprint have been collected from ill persons in 31 states. Ill persons whose Salmonella strain has this genetic fingerprint have been reported from Arizona (1), California (6), Connecticut (3), Delaware (5), Georgia (2), Idaho (6), Illinois (3), Indiana (3), Kansas (2), Kentucky (8), Massachusetts (5), Maryland (5), Maine (1), Michigan (3), Minnesota (6), Missouri (11), Montana (4), Nevada (6), New York (6), Ohio (8), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (13), Tennessee (5), Texas (4), Utah (2), Virginia (6), Vermont (2), Washington (2), Wisconsin (19), Wyoming (2). Their ages range from <1 to 87 years with a median age of 20 years; 49% of ill persons are female. At least 20 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

So, why recall peanut butter, but not pot pies?