Thread: Salmonella Cases May be Tied To Peanut Butter

http://www.topix.net/content/cbs/041035 ... 2588211024

Salmonella Cases May be Tied To Peanut Butter
kdka.com

February 14, 2007

TV News at Noon The peanut butter spread being recalled was sold under the Peter Pan and Great Value brands.

A salmonella outbreak that has slowly grown to nearly 300 cases in 39 states since August may be 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.

Health officials did not immediately identify a brand they believe to be linked with the outbreak.

The largest number of cases were reported in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.

Salmonella infection is known each year to sicken about 40,000 people in the United States, according to the CDC.

Salmonellosis, as the infection is known, kills about 600 people annually.

Symptoms of salmonella can include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting.

The new outbreak began in August, but just two or fewer cases have been reported each day, CDC officials said.

It was only in the past few days that investigators were able to hone in on a particular food, Lynch said.
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http://investor.conagrafoods.com/phoeni ... highlight=

News Release

Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Great Value Peanut Butter Products Beginning with Product Code 2111 Recalled for Possible Salmonella Contamination
OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2007--ConAgra Foods today announced that it has taken the precautionary measure of voluntarily recalling all varieties of Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Great Value Peanut Butter beginning with product code 2111 imprinted on the lid of both brands. ConAgra Foods is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a statistical report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that these products may be linked to the foodborne illness salmonella.

While this affects Great Value Peanut Butter beginning with product code 2111, there are other manufacturers of Great Value Peanut Butter that are not affected by this recall.

"Although none of our extensive product tests have indicated the presence of salmonella, we are taking this precautionary measure because consumer health and safety is our top priority," said Chris Kircher, spokesperson for ConAgra Foods. "We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed to ensure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products."

If consumers have this product, they should discard it, but save the product lid. For a full refund, consumers must return the Peter Pan Peanut Butter or Great Value Peanut Butter product lid along with their name and mailing address to ConAgra Foods, P.O. Box 3768, Omaha, NE 68103.

Consumers with questions or concerns about the recall can call the 24-hour toll-free hotline at 866-344-6970. For more information about salmonella, visit www.ific.org.

ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE:CAG) is one of North America's leading packaged food companies, serving grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Popular ConAgra Foods consumer brands include: Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt's, Marie Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, and many others. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.

CONTACT: ConAgra Foods Inc.

Consumers with questions or concerns about the recall can call the 24-hour toll-free hotline at 866-344-6970.


Media:
Chris Kircher, 402-595-5392
or
Analysts:
Chris Klinefelter, 402-595-4154
www.conagrafoods.com

SOURCE: ConAgra Foods Inc.

Great Value is Wal-Mart's store brand.

Dixie

WHEN WILL THEY SEE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ILLNESSES AND DISEASES THAT ARE MOST LIKELY CARRIED BY UNCLEAN FOOD PREPARERS, MAINLY ILLEGAL ALIENS?

http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21& ... l&ref=1178

Salmonella
Related concepts:
Enteric fever, Typhoid fever
Introduction:
Careless handling of raw chicken, eating undercooked eggs, and playing with pet turtles all share something in common – they can give your child Salmonella.

What is it?
Salmonella bacteria are a major cause of food poisoning and infection from poultry, reptiles, and pets. Salmonella organisms can cause a wide variety of illnesses, including typhoid fever, meningitis, and osteomyelitis (infection of the bone). Some infected children have no symptoms at all, but the most common infection caused by Salmonella is gastroenteritis.

Who gets it?
Anyone can get Salmonella, but it is most common in children under 5 (and in the elderly). Millions of cases occur each year in the United States, and at least half of them are in children.

Salmonella is found in almost all kitchens. Thankfully, proper food handling, cooking, and cleaning will reliably kill the Salmonella bacteria.

Eating raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or red meat is a common cause of infection. So is cross contamination from uncooked poultry or red meat in the kitchen. Contamination can also come from animal products or infected people involved in food preparation.

Children can also get sick from drinking raw milk (unpasteurized milk) or from eating unwashed fruits or vegetables.

Poultry, livestock, amphibians, and reptiles can carry Salmonella. Children can get sick from playing with or handling these animals if the bacteria get in the children’s mouths.

Drinking contaminated water is a major source of Salmonella worldwide, and is one of the reasons that a clean water supply is so important.

What are the symptoms?
Most commonly, Salmonella causes gastroenteritis with cramping, diarrhea, abdominal tenderness, vomiting, and fever. The diarrhea is usually watery, but may contain blood or mucus.

Some children get very sick, with high fevers, headaches, confusion, and sometimes even seizures. Salmonella can cause enteric fever (typhoid fever). Some children have a salmon-colored rash (rose spots). When Salmonella bacteria get into the bloodstream, they can travel and cause infection throughout the body.

Children with sickle cell disease, HIV, and certain other causes of anemia are among those at risk for complications from Salmonella.

Is it contagious?
Salmonella can be spread from person to person by the fecal-oral route.

How long does it last?
Salmonella symptoms usually begin about 24 hours after exposure (from 6 to 72 hours). Enteric fever can occur up to 60 days after exposure.

The symptoms usually go away within a week in otherwise healthy children.

How is it diagnosed?
Salmonella may be suspected based on the history and physical exam. The diagnosis is usually made with a stool culture or other stool test. Other tests, such as blood tests or spinal fluid tests may be performed if there is reason to suspect that Salmonella is there.

How is it treated?
Treatment of Salmonella should be managed by a physician. Most otherwise healthy children do not benefit from antibiotics used to treat Salmonella, but for some children and some types of Salmonella infections antibiotics are important. Other medicines may also be necessary, depending on the severity and duration of the disease.

Preventing and treating dehydration is important for all children with Salmonella.

How can it be prevented?
Thankfully, Salmonella is killed by cooking.

Salmonella is best prevented by proper food handling and cooking, maintaining sanitary water supplies, and good hand washing.

Wash hands before preparing or serving foods. Have someone else prepare the food if you have cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

When handling raw meat or poultry, consider them contaminated! Wash your hands and any surfaces they have touched before proceeding. Be sure that meats, eggs, and poultry are fully cooked. Children should not eat raw eggs or foods containing them.

Livestock, poultry, reptiles, and amphibians should also be considered to be contaminated. Wash after handling or close contact.

Teach your kids to wash their hands after toileting and before eating. Instant, alcohol-based hand cleansers can be great for this.

Check your Peanut Butter! All three containers that I have start with 2111.

I have two brands which are fat free, creamy and crunchy.

Dixie

My husband checked the new jar of Peter Pan peanut butter
and it has this product code. He bought the jar this weekend
at a grocery store in Temecula, Ca. So, this product code
isn't just in the east.

This is scary.Especially since I'm a vegertarian and mostly live on peanut butter!

My elderly father just got over a bad case of diarrhea. He just called and said that he had checked the jar of peanut butter in his house and it had the suspect code on it. He had opened it and eaten it just before he got sick.

I haven't eaten peanut butter in ages, but the other day, I made a PBJ. I swear to you, it tasted like funk!!!! When I read this story, it actually made me gag. I checked the codes and I think I am okay, it is just a strange coincidence.

I just looked through my cabinet and found jar of this peanut butter with the lot 2111. I was going to throw it out until I heard you can get a refund. The address is at the end of the article. I'm so thankful I did'nt serve this peanut butter to my kids. They eat peanut butter and jelly out the ears!


http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f ... 642S85.DTL -Peanut Butter Is Source of Outbreak

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Printable Version Email This Article
(02-15) 08:26 PST ATLANTA (AP) --


Consumers should throw away certain jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter after the spread was linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people around the country, ConAgra said.


Lids of jars produced by ConAgra Foods with a product code beginning "2111" can be returned to the company for a refund, the company said.


The salmonella outbreak, which federal health officials said Wednesday has sickened 288 people in 39 states since August, was linked to tainted peanut butter produced by ConAgra at a plant in Sylvester, Ga. How salmonella got into peanut butter is still under investigation, said Dr. Mike Lynch, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


ConAgra officials haven't said how much peanut butter is covered in the recall, which it called a precaution.


"We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed to ensure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products," spokesman Chris Kircher said.


CDC officials believe the salmonella outbreak to be the nation's first associated with peanut butter. The most cases were reported in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.


About 20 percent of all the ill were hospitalized, and there were no deaths, Lynch said. About 85 percent of the infected people said they ate peanut butter, CDC officials said.


Salmonella infection is known each year to sicken about 40,000 people in the United States, according to the CDC. Salmonellosis, as the infection is known, kills about 600 people annually.


Symptoms can include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting.


The latest outbreak began in August, with no more than two cases reported each day, CDC officials said. Only in the past few days did investigators hone in on peanut butter as a source, Lynch said.


Other states reporting cases are Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.


___


To get a refund, consumers should send lids and their names and addresses to ConAgra Foods, P.O. Box 57078, Irvine, CA 92619-7078. For more information, call 866-344-6970.___