US FDA confirms salmonella came from peanut butter
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - An outbreak of salmonella food poisoning that has sickened 329 people and sent 51 of them to the hospital was definitely caused by contaminated Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday. The FDA has warned consumers not to eat any Peter Pan peanut butter bought since May of last year and to throw out any Great Value brand -- sold by Wal-Mart Inc. <WMT.N> -- with the lot number 2111 on the lid. "Product testing by several states has now confirmed that Peter Pan peanut butter and certain Great Value brand peanut butter are the sources of the foodborne illness outbreak of Salmonella Tennessee that began in August 2006," the FDA said in a statement released late on Friday. "To date 329 individuals have become ill from consuming the contaminated peanut butter, and 51 of those persons were hospitalized." The FDA said the outbreak was still going on. "Potentially contaminated products include 3/4 ounce and 1.1 ounce single serving packs of Peter Pan brand peanut butter," the FDA said. "All of these products contain peanut butter that was manufactured in ConAgra's <CAG.N> Sylvester, Georgia plant. Retailers and institutions possessing the products described should not serve or sell them. Any consumer possessing any of these products should discard them." ConAgra has apologized, recalled the products and closed its plant. Every year, about 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States and about 600 people die of it, according to the CDC. "Symptoms of foodborne illness caused by salmonella include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps," the FDA said. "In persons with poor underlying health or weakened immune systems, salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections." The families of two elderly people have said they died after eating contaminated peanut butter. China's Ministry of Health warned consumers not to eat any imported U.S. peanut butter carrying the Peter Pan or Great Value brands.
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