Peanut butter products may be contaminated

On Feb. 14, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter purchased since May 2006 due to suspected salmonella contamination. The jars of peanut butter, produced by ConAgra, are identified by the product code starting with 2111. “Single-packs” of Peter Pan peanut butter were also covered in the recall.

In March 2007, the FDA updated its recall announcement to extend the recall to all Peter Pan and Great Value jars of peanut butter with the same product code purchased since October 2004. The agency advises that everyone with these jars of peanut butter should discard them due to the risk of contracting salmonella poisoning. At the time of the initial recall, the FDA reported 288 cases of Salmonella linked to the tainted peanut butter.

However what most consumers didn’t know is that according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of this peanut butter was used in other products as well. Many people could have contracted Salmonella from these “third-party” sources and not made the connection to Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter, or the ConAgra plant.

These additional sources include:

Sonic Brand Ready-to-Use Peanut Butter Topping, used in the following menu items:

Sonic used the topping until 2/16/07, when the product was recalled.

Carvel Peanut Butter Topping, used in the follow ice creams:

Carvel used the topping until 2/16/07 when the product was recalled.

J. Hungerford Smith Peanut Butter Dessert Topping, a wholesale brand used by restaurants throughout the U.S., but not generally not available directly to the public.

In other words, there could be hundreds or even thousands of additional cases of Salmonella poisoning that will not be linked to the FDA recall announcement.

Salmonellosis or Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after consumption through contaminated foods such as the tainted Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butters under recall. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However in some cases the infection can spread and can cause death if not treated with antibiotics. Elderly people, infants, and those with reduced inmune systems are most at risk for severe illness.

If you or a loved one has experienced these symptoms, it is important that you visit your doctor or a medical facility immediately. Then contact Jim S. Adler & Associates to find out your legal rights. Tainted peanut butter is just one way that you can contract Salmonella poisoning, but regardless your illness is probably due to the negligence of someone else.

Let Jim S. Adler & Associates help you establish the facts about your Salmonella poisoning. We may be able to help you secure compensation for your medical bills, lost work, and pain and suffering. Contact a Jim S. Adler & Associates personal injury attorney directly or fill in the form on this page with the details of your Salmonella illness caused by tainted peanut butter or some other source.

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