According to the CDC, the contaminated peanut butter products have to date sickened only 329 people with 51 needing hospital treatment. We believe that these numbers are a gross under-count if the over 4,500 calls and emails we have received are any example of the extent of this miscount. We believe that this disparity in numbers must be investigated. What we are telling folks from around the country (frankly around the world) is to help us investigate this outbreak by providing us with:
1. The names and ages of all family members who became ill after eating the Peanut Butter.
2. Phone number, email and mailing address so that we can mail you an investigation packet.
Also, Please provide us with:
a. Peanut Butter Product type.
b. Date of purchase.
c. Size of Peanut Butter Jar.
d. Complete Code Number on lid of Jar.
e. Complete UPC Code (Bar Code).
In addition, we:
1. Encourage all people who are still experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection (see www.about-salmonella.com for more information) to obtain a stool test, which your primary physician can order and have done at a local lab. Your local health department may also be of some assistance in having a stool test done.
2. Ask you retain any jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter that you have not yet thrown away, whether opened or not. Please place the jars in a plastic bag and keep the bag in an area where the peanut butter will not be exposed to extreme temperatures; this can be the refrigerator (not the freezer) or a cupboard.
3. Suggest that you also immediately notify your county’s health department of the fact that you have suffered a gastrointestinal illness after eating peanut butter that is subject to the national recall. The purpose of this call is not to have the health department test the peanut butter-although that is permissible if they want to do that-but to create a record of the fact that you have reported a gastrointestinal illness possibly related to the peanut butter outbreak. If the health department does want to test your peanut butter, please photograph the jar(s) before handing them over, and please write down the details of your transaction with the health department official. You may keep current on the status of the outbreak at www.salmonellablog.com, www.marlerblog.com and www.peanutbutterclassaction.com
As a result of the recent Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter, an extensive inspection of ConAgra’s processing plant in Georgia by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed the presence of Salmonella. The FDA says the Salmonella was found in the plant environment which suggests that the contamination took place prior to the product reaching consumers.
Last week several states reported Salmonella in many open jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter recovered from consumers and the Salmonella strain found in the plant matches that found in the open jars as well as the outbreak strain recovered from consumers who became ill. ConAgra has recalled all Peter Pan peanut butter and all Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 and the recall extends to products made since December 2005.
