Salmonella outbreak due to peanut butter
From the Associated Press:
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.” ConAgra makes the affected jars in a single
facility in Sylvester, Ga., the FDA said.
I got this email last evening from a client in the Dole Spinach case whose two kids were sickened from eating E. coli – tainted spinach:
Hi Bill,
We have just a crazy coincidence I thought I would share with you. We have a jar of Peter Pan peanut butter in our fridge that both kids have been eating the past several weeks. It just so happens to have the product code beginning with the "2111" that is linked to the recent salmonella outbreaks. What are the chances?!?! The kids seem to be fine but now we are panicking. We will keep an extra close watch over them.
Have a good night.