A total of 35 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney have been reported from 19 states.
Eight ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
63% percent of ill persons are children under the age of 10 years.
Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt, manufactured by Sunland, Inc. of Portales, New Mexico, is a likely source of this outbreak.
Testing conducted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture laboratory isolated the outbreak strain from an opened jar of Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Peanut Butter collected from a case-patient’s home.
On October 4, 2012, Sunland Inc. expanded its ongoing recall [PDF – 10 pages] to include all products made in the Sunland nut butter production facility between March 1, 2010 and September 24, 2012.
On October 5, 2012, the FDA announced that environmental samples taken in the Sunland Inc. nut butter production facility show the presence of Salmonella.
There have also been a number of recalls related to the expanded Sunland Inc. recall of products which include peanut butter and other products made with nuts and seeds.