FDA
Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak
Updated: January 18, 2009

Update on FDA's Investigation

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting a very active and dynamic investigation into the source of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak.  At this time, the FDA has traced one likely source of Salmonella Typhimurium contamination to a plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which manufactures both peanut butter that is institutionally served in such settings as long-term care facilities and cafeterias, and peanut paste - a concentrated product consisting of ground, roasted peanuts - that is distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in many products including cakes, cookies, crackers, candies, cereal and ice cream.

The FDA has notified PCA that product samples originating from its Blakely, Ga., processing plant have been tested and found positive for Salmonella by laboratories in the states of Minnesota, Georgia and Connecticut.  The state of Minnesota reported to FDA that its samples of King Nut peanut butter are a genetic match to the strain of Salmonella that has caused illnesses in the state and around the country.  King Nut is a distributor of PCA product.

As a result of these updated test results, on January 16, PCA expanded its voluntary recall to include all peanut butter produced on or after August 8, 2008, and all peanut paste produced on or after September 26, 2008, in its Blakely, Ga., plant because of potential Salmonella contamination.  The product being recalled is sold by PCA in bulk packaging in containers ranging in size from five to 1700 pounds.  The peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container.  These products are not sold directly to consumers.  PCA has stopped all production at its Blakely, Ga., plant as the FDA continues its investigation into the source of the Salmonella contamination.

Based on this information, and on the current state of the investigation, the FDA recommends that consumers avoid eating products that have been recalled and discard them.

Because identification of products subject to recall is continuing, the FDA urges consumers to postpone eating commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter-containing products and institutionally-served peanut butter until further information becomes available about which products may be affected. Efforts to specifically identify those products are ongoing.

At this time, there is no indication that any national name brand jars of peanut butter sold in retail stores are linked to the PCA recall.  As the investigation continues over the weekend, and into next week, the FDA will be able to update the advice based on new sampling and distribution information.

The FDA is working closely with members of the food industry to narrow this advice and to publish a detailed list of implicated products as soon as possible.  The FDA is encouraging manufacturers to help inform consumers about whether their products could have contained commercially prepared peanut butter or peanut paste from PCA.  Also, if manufacturers know their products do not contain ingredients from PCA, they may wish to inform consumers of that fact.  Retailers should stop selling products which have been recalled.

The FDA will closely monitor these events by continuing to work with the firms on the details of their actions, conduct follow-up audits and inspections, monitor the progress of the firms’ actions, and notify our foreign regulatory counterparts of products that may have been distributed internationally.

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List of Company Recalls

   * McKee Foods Corporation Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Little Debbie® Peanut Butter Toasty and Peanut Butter Cheese Sandwich Crackers Because of Possible Health Risk (January 18) New!
   * Perry's Ice Cream Company Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Peanut Butter Ice Cream Products Due to Possible Health Risk (January 17) New!
   * Hy-Vee Inc. Recalls Bakery Products With Peanut Butter Distributed in Seven States Due to Possible Health Risk (January 17) New!
   * Peanut Corporation of America Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter (January 16) New!
   * Kellogg Company Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Austin® and Keebler® Branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers and Select Snack-Size Packs of Famous Amos® And Keebler® Soft Batch Peanut Butter Cookies Because of Possible Health Risk (January 16)
   * Peanut Corporation of America Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter (January 13)
   * King Nut Issues Peanut Butter Recall (January 10)

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That was in the news a week ago....LOL

Latest additions to
List of Company Recalls
[Jan. 18-19]
   * Abbott Nutrition Announces Voluntary Recall of ZonePerfect® Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, ZonePerfect® Peanut Toffee Bars and NutriPals Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars in U.S., Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore (January 19) New!
   * Kroger Recalls Select Ice Cream Products Due to Possible Health Risk (January 19) New!
   * Meijer Announces Voluntary Recall for Some Meijer Brand Peanut Butter Crackers and Ice Cream Because of Possible Health Risk (January 19) New!
   * Peanut Corporation of America Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter (January 18) New!
   * Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products Recalls Wal-Mart Bakery Brand Peanut Butter Cookies Because Of Possible Health Risk (January 18) New!
   * Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products Recalls Lofthouse Peanut Butter Cookies, Chuck's Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies And Pastries Plus Gourmet Cookies Nationwide Because Of Possible Health Risk (January 18)
   * Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products Recalls Food Lion Bake Shop Peanut Butter Cookies Nationwide Because Of Possible Health Risk (January 18)

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Thank you for bringing this to our attention!!

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Update on FDA's Investigation

January 23, 2009:  A combination of epidemiological analysis and laboratory testing by state officials in Minnesota and Connecticut, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enabled FDA to confirm that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant.

Peanut butter is sold by PCA in bulk containers ranging in size from five (5) to 1,700 pounds.  The peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container.  Neither of these products is sold directly to consumers.

However, through its investigation, FDA has determined that PCA distributed potentially contaminated product to more than 70 consignee firms, for use as an ingredient in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream.  Companies all over the country that received product from PCA have issued voluntary recalls of their products.  FDA has created a searchable database for these products, which can be found at Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or , Identification of products subject to recall is continuing and this list is updated frequently.

Product recalls now include some pet food products that contain peanut paste that was made by PCA. While the risk of animals contracting salmonellosis is minimal, there is risk to humans from handling these products. It is important for people to wash their hands--and make sure children wash their hands--before and, especially, after feeding treats to pets. Further information for consumers is located in the Frequently Asked Questions section located on this web site. The pet food products are also included in the searchable data base of recalled products.

Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the PCA recall.

FDA and CDC recommendations for consumers include:

   * Do not eat products that have been recalled and throw them away in a manner that prevents others from eating them.
   * To determine if commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products (such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream) are subject to recall, consumers are urged first to visit FDA’s website and check the searchable database of recalled products.
   * For information on products containing peanut butter from companies not reporting recalls, consumers may wish to consult the company’s website or call the toll-free number listed on most packaging.  Information consumers may receive from the companies has not been verified by the FDA.
   * If consumers cannot determine if their peanut butter, peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products or institutionally-served peanut butter contains PCA peanut butter/peanut paste, FDA recommends that they do not consume those products.
   * Persons who think they may have become ill from eating peanut butter are advised to consult their health care providers.

For Retailers

   * Stop selling recalled products.

For Directors of Institutions and Food Service Establishments          

   * Ensure that they are not serving recalled products.

For Manufacturers

   * Inform consumers about whether their products could contain peanut butter or peanut paste from Peanut Corporation of America (PCA).  If a manufacturer knows their products do not contain peanut butter or peanut paste from PCA, they should inform consumers of that. For specific guidance: Guidance for Industry: Product Recalls, Including Removals and Corrections

The FDA will closely monitor these events by continuing to work with the firms on the details of their actions, conducting follow-up audits and inspections, monitoring the progress of the firms’ actions, working with state and local regulatory authorities, and notifying our foreign regulatory counterparts of products that have now been confirmed as having been distributed internationally.

Ongoing Investigation

FDA has collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health officials in various states to investigate the multi-state outbreak of human infections due to Salmonella Typhimurium.  An epidemiological investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health isolated and tested subsamples from an open five-pound container of King Nut peanut butter obtained at a nursing home where three patients were sickened by the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. The Minnesota Health officials found the peanut butter contained the same strain of Salmonella Typhimurium associated with the illnesses linked to the outbreak.

Because it is always possible that the open container was contaminated by someone or something else in the environment, the FDA and the states began testing unopened containers of the same brand of peanut butter.  King Nut distributes peanut butter manufactured by the PCA to institutional facilities, food service industries, and private label food companies in several states.

On January 19, 2009, testing by the Connecticut Department of Health of an unopened container of King Nut peanut butter showed that it too contained the same strain of Salmonella Typhimurium associated with illnesses linked to the outbreak. The fact that the Salmonella Typhimurium was confirmed in an unopened container of peanut butter indicates that peanut butter originating from the processing plant was contaminated.

FDA has initiated inspections at the direct consignees of PCA and King Nut and continues to follow the distribution points for products.

The FDA has no evidence to suggest that the Salmonella Typhimurium contamination originated with any other major manufacturing facility other than PCA. The PCA facility in Blakely, Georgia is not operating at this time and the company has recalled peanut butter and peanut paste produced from July 1, 2008 to the present.

The FDA and food manufacturers are working to identify products that may be affected, and to track the ingredient supply chain of those products to facilitate their removal from the marketplace.

For the latest information on the outbreak and the epidemiological investigation, including number of illnesses and a list of states reporting illnesses, go to the CDC web page at Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or .

What Products Have Been Recalled?

   * Search Combined List of Recalled Products (Browse by food brand or do a search)

Search for Peanut Butter Product Recalls
Information current as of 12 PM January 25, 2009

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Recall of Products Containing Peanut Butter: Salmonella Typhimurium
Updated: January 29, 2009
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List of Company Recalls
Updated: January 29, 2009
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