When in doubt, don't eat it

  • Published
RAF LAKENHEATH, England --  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 the 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 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, the 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.

The FDA has created a searchable database for these products, which can be found at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm. Identification of products subject to recall is continuing and this list is updated frequently.

The recall has now been expanded to 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 especially important for people to wash their hands and make sure children wash their hands after feeding treats to pets. 

Salmonella symptoms include: 
  • Diarrhoea or constipation
  • Headaches
  • Stomach cramps
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fever
  • Possibly, blood in the feces
AAFES, DECA as well as the 48th Medical Group have worked together to ensure these products have been removed from store shelves and are not available for resale on the base, said Maj. Craig Forcum, Public Health flight commander, in an e-mail. It is highly likely that base personnel and dependents have purchased these products but anyone can access the website to search for a specific product to determine if it is affected. When in doubt, don't eat it.

(Information courtesy of the United States Food and Drug Administration)