Salmonella food poisoning traced to tainted peanut butter

Posted by Bruce Westbrook

January 14, 2009

At least the tomato industry won’t take an unfair hit this time — but Americans are still at risk, due to another outbreak of salmonella food poisoning.

Unlike last fall’s outbreak which afflicted hundreds if not thousands of Americans (and finally was tracked to Mexican-grown Serrano peppers), this one has been traced quickly: to peanut butter that’s been sold in five-pound tubs to institutions such as universities, hospitals, nursing homes and restaurants.

In fact, King Nut Companies of Ohio already has issued a recall and an apology.

“We are very sorry this happened,” the company said in a statement. “We are taking immediate and voluntary action because the health and safety of those who use our products is always our highest priority.”

Health and safety “is” their priority? How about “are”? Such sloppiness isn’t a good sign when you’re putting trust in a company to ensure your health. But at least King Nut is taking some of the fall.

Actually, King Nut did not manufacture the peanut butter, but purchased it for distribution from a Virginia company called Peanut Corp. of America. Unlike King Nut, Peanut Corp. isn’t owning up to anything, but rather has suggested that the problem could be due to “cross-contamination” of an open container of the tasty brown goo.

For the record, the peanut butter you’d better avoid was distributed to these states: Minnesota, Ohio, North Dakota, Michigan, Idaho, Arizona, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida. But that doesn’t mean it’s confined to those states.

Salmonella food poisoning is more nasty than deadly, afflicting sufferers with severe cases of diarrhea, abdominal cramps and possibly fever. It rarely requires hospitalization or even treatment, but simply runs its course after four to seven days. However, older persons, children and those with low immunity systems are especially at risk, and people can even die from salmonella food poisoning. Plus, seven days of suffering is a heavy price for anyone to pay, including lost wages from missed time at work.

If you or a loved one believe you have suffered salmonella food poisoning via tainted peanut butter — which also was the source of a 2007 outbreak — then alert a samonella lawyer with Jim S. Adler & Associates to explore your legal options. Someone’s negligence led to the contamination which caused this outbreak, and that someone should be held accountable. Contact us today for a free case review and give a boost to your recovery.

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