FDA Update on Peanut Butter Recall

Salmonella found in the ConAgra Plant

As a follow-up to the recent Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting an extensive inspection of ConAgra's Sylvester, Georgia processing plant. Samples collected by the FDA revealed the presence of Salmonella. The fact that FDA found Salmonella in the plant environment further suggests that the contamination likely took place prior to the product reaching consumers. Last week, tests by several states identified Salmonella in many open jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter recovered from consumers. In these instances, the Salmonella found in the plant and in the open jars matched the outbreak strain recovered from consumers who became ill.

Peanut Butter Toppings Part of Recall

FDA has learned that the ConAgra plant in Sylvester, GA, sent bulk Peter Pan peanut butter to its plant in Humboldt, TN. The three brands described below are part of the original Peter Pan recall. These brands have been recalled and are no longer being sold. However, some consumers may still have these products in their home.

Consumers who have any of the products listed below should discard them. Individuals who are not sure if the purchased product contains the recalled peanut butter topping should contact the store where the product was purchased.

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What to do with your leftover peanut butter . . .

The CDC and state and local health departments are advising consumers who are no longer ill with a diarrheal illness after eating potentially contaminated Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter to throw the product away; however, if you have contacted Marler Clark and we are pursuing a legal claim on your behalf, we advise you to save your jar. Keep it in a plastic bag, in a temperature-controlled place (like the refrigerator), and after we have received your paperwork in the mail, we will contact you with information about where to send your jar to have it tested for the presence of Salmonella.

Salmonella Case in Allentown May Be Related to Peanut Butter

One Allentown woman says she had no idea the peanut butter she was feeding her child was allegedly making him sick. Now weeks later, she says salmonella has cost her more than her son's health.

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CDC: Salmonella case total is up to 370

ATLANTA Federal health officials say the number of lab-confirmed cases of peanut butter-associated salmonella has climbed to 370 -- up from the 329 reported last week.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday that North Dakota had now joined the count, raising the number of states with confirmed cases to 42.

About two dozen cases have been reported in Virginia.

ConAgra Foods recalled Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter made at its Sylvester, Georgia, plant after federal health officials linked the product to an outbreak of an unusual type of salmonella that has sickened people since August.

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Peanut butter jam snares local mother


At least one Cecil County family isn’t eating much peanut butter these days.

Not that Kelly Jackson ate that much peanut butter to begin with.

“And it was sugar-free, low-carb peanut butter. No one else in the family was eating (from that jar) but me,” said the 34-year-old Rising Sun woman. “I ate it sporadically.”

The jar is now sitting on a high shelf away from Jackson’s two children because she suspects it is what made her very sick.

Jackson has been hospitalized three times since May 2006. Each time she suffered with vomiting, diarrhea and severe stomach pains.

With each admission she was treated with antibiotics and intravenous fluids. The only thing doctors could find was the presence of some kind of infection.

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S. Korea recalls U.S. peanut butter linked to salmonella

SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean food watchdog said Monday it is recalling imported American peanut butter after it was linked to an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning in the U.S.

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Salmonella Linked to Peanut Butter

Officials with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta say they suspected the peanut butter was linked to the outbreak all along, but never had any proof until Friday.

The jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter came from the same plant in Sylvester, Georgia, right outside of Albany. Just last week, health officials urged people who had the jars with the product ID code beginning with 2111 to stop eating it immediately.

The jars made at least 329 people sick, 18 in Georgia, and one in our area. So far, no deaths have been linked to the outbreak. Although at least two wrongful death lawsuits have been filed. Health officials say the results is actually good news. "This is a vital link because not only is it connected to those who have been sickened, but it actually links it to the plant," said Lola Russell with the CDC.

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Two More Cases of Salmonella In NYS

(Albany/Rochester, N.Y.) At least 34 people in New York State can trace recent illness to tainted peanut butter.

The state health department says two more salmonella cases have been confirmed in New York.

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Testing finds salmonella in peanut butter jars that came from Georgia ConAgra plant

OMAHA, Neb. — A week after ConAgra Foods Inc. recalled peanut butter from its Georgia plant after a salmonella outbreak, the Center for Disease Control confirmed the presence of the dangerous germ.

No deaths have been confirmed, although a Pennsylvania family filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming a relative died from eating tainted peanut butter.

Opened jars from people who were sickened in New York, Oklahoma and Iowa tested positive for salmonella, said Dave Daigle, a spokesman for the CDC in Atlanta.

"Now the question becomes, how did the salmonella get in the jar," Daigle said.

ConAgra Foods Inc. last week recalled all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter made at its Sylvester, Ga., plant after federal health officials linked the product to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 329 people from 41 states since August.

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Salmonella outbreak prompts peanut butter recall

The Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, and other officials are working together to quickly solve the mysterious contamination of two brands of peanut butter, “Peter Pan” and, “Great Value,” which are produced by ConAgra based in Georgia.

According to the FDA, hundreds of people, both young and old, have already been affected since the outbreak of salmonella contaminated peanut butter began as far back as August of last year. In their report to the FDA on Feb. 13, the CDC and state and local health agencies confirmed 288 cases of salmonella illnesses in 39 states. Every case that was reported involved the “Peter Pan” brand.

Just recently, on Feb. 16, the Florida Department of Health confirmed several cases of salmonella poisoning in Alachua,

Hillsborough, and Pasco counties, according to Fernando Senra, Spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health.

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Peanut butter eggs tossed because of salmonella scare

A Mercer County church is taking no chances with its popular Easter fundraiser.

Trinity United Methodist Church of Bluefield threw away 325 chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs, along with several hundred others that had not yet been coated, on Monday because of concerns about salmonella, Pastor Charles Miller said Tuesday.

The handmade Easter treats, which the church has sold since 1990, were made with Peter Pan peanut butter.

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In View of Peanut Butter Recall, Know Symptoms of Salmonella

MANHATTAN, Kan. – A peanut butter recall in the news affects a relatively small portion of the nation’s peanut butter supply, and doesn’t mean that consumers should stop buying or using other peanut butter, said Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University Research Extension food scientist.

It does mean that consumers should check the brand and product code of peanut butter they have on hand and, if it matches the recall, discard the potentially contaminated product.

The potential contaminant, Salmonella Tennessee, can cause foodborne illness, Blakeslee said. Symptoms, which include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, typically appear within 12 to 72 hours after ingestion. The illness usually lasts four to seven days and most people recover without treatment. Those with severe diarrhea, however, may need to be hospitalized.

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National class action lawsuit filed over poisoned peanut butter


SEATTLE, WA (February 20, 2007) – A class action lawsuit was filed against ConAgra Tuesday in United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of named plaintiffs James Daniels and Linda Oswald, and all other individuals who became ill with Salmonella infections after consuming Salmonella-contaminated Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter. The plaintiffs are represented by Marler Clark, the Seattle-based law firm that has represented thousands of victims of Salmonella, E. coli, and other foodborne illness outbreaks.

“We have been contacted by over 2,200 families who consumed peanut butter and are looking to pursue legal claims against ConAgra since the FDA announced the recall of ConAgra-manufactured peanut butter on February 14th,” said William Marler, managing partner of Marler Clark. “We feel that a class action is the most efficient means for achieving fair compensation for people who were not hospitalized, but have strong evidence of a Salmonella infection.”

Marler pointed out that the Class Action excludes any individuals who were hospitalized or died as a result of their illnesses. Marler Clark has been contacted by hundreds of people who were hospitalized as a result of their Salmonella infections, and is investigating three deaths that may be tied to this outbreak. “Those people suffered more severe injuries than the majority of people we have been contacted by, and we will pursue individual claims on their behalf,” added Marler.

The proposed class includes all persons who:

(1) Purchased Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter since May 2006 with a product-code beginning with 2111 imprinted on the lid; and

(2) As a result suffered either
(a) A lab-confirmed Salmonella infection, or
(b)Symptoms consistent with a Salmonella infection – i.e., fever, abdominal cramps, headache, and diarrhea – that otherwise fit the CDC case-definition for the subject outbreak.

BACKGROUND: The attorneys at Marler Clark have extensive experience representing victims of foodborne illness. The firm has successfully represented victims of Salmonella poisoning related to contaminated sprouts, cantaloupe, cereal, orange juice, and other foods. See www.marlerclark.com and www.salmonellablog.com for more information.

For more information, please contact Suzanne Schreck at (206) 346-1879 or sschreck@marlerclark.com.

Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak Update

Here is an update from the FDA site about the peanut butter salmonella outbreak.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 290 people from 39 states who have gotten sick from Salmonella Tennessee, the Salmonella type associated with this outbreak. Forty six (46) patients are known to have been hospitalized and there have been no reported deaths.

The 39 states with reported illness are: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia."

If you believe you are part of the Salmonella outbreak that was traced to Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter, here are a few suggestions:

1. If you or a family member are still sick, please seek medical treatment.

2. If you do seek medical treatment, please ask that a stool culture be done to try and confirm that you have been sickened by salmonella. A stool culture is the only way to confirm that you have been sickened by the Salmonella bacteria. The lack of a positive stool culture, however, will not preclude a claim. We expect that a majority of claimants will not have a positive stool culture.

3. You should contact you local health department about your concerns and to relate information about your family members’ illnesses. Please make note of your peanut butter label, the brand, and the product code found on the lid—“2111” is the implicated product. Also note when and where you purchased it. This information will help the health department’s investigation.

4. If you have any left over peanut butter, please put the entire jar in a plastic bag and place it in a cool spot. Do not return the lid to ConAgra as we will need it to prove your claim. Please let your local health department know that you have it. They may offer to test it. If not, we will arrange to have it tested.

5. If any family member is currently sick, please be sure to attend to careful hygiene. Frequent hand washing can help reduce the risk of spreading infection among family members.

Second lawsuit filed by victims of national Salmonella outbreak traced to peanut butter

ROCHESTER, NY (February 16, 2006) – A New York family filed suit against ConAgra this afternoon in United States District Court for the Western District of New York. The lawsuit was filed by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm that filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of a Missouri family early Friday, and Rochester, New York, attorney Paul Nunes. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Nicolas Avalone and Tracy Hubright of Ontario, New York.

Mr. Avalone and the couple’s son are two of at least 300 people who have become ill with Salmonella infections after eating Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter that was produced in ConAgra’s Georgia plant. All Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter with a lot code of 2111 was recalled on February 14, after an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the peanut butter was the source of a nationwide outbreak of Salmonella illnesses.

“We have bee contacted by over 500 people who experienced gastrointestinal illnesses for months, but most – like Nicholas and Tracy – never considered that peanut butter could be a source of illness until they heard about the recall,” said Bill Marler, managing partner of Marler Clark.

“We’ve worked with Paul Nunes and Underberg & Kessler on Salmonella outbreak cases in the past, and are happy to be working with Paul again,” Marler continued.

BACKGROUND: Marler Clark and Underberg & Kessler together represented 70 clients in Salmonella claims against the Brook-Lea Country Club in Rochester, New York. The firms are currently working together on cases involving E. coli and cryptosporidium outbreaks. See also www.Salmonellablog.com and www.foodborneillness.com.

Top five things to do if you think you have Salmonella poisoning from peanut butter

1. If you or a family member are still sick, please seek medical treatment.

2. If you do seek medical treatment, please ask that a stool culture be done to try and confirm that you have been sickened by salmonella. A stool culture is the only way to confirm that you have been sickened by the Salmonella bacteria.

3. You should contact you local health department about your concerns and to relate information about your family members’ illnesses. Please make note of your peanut butter label, the brand, and the product code found on the lid—“2111” is the implicated product. Also note when and where you purchased it. This information will help the health department’s investigation.

4. If you have any left over peanut butter, please put the entire jar in a plastic bag and place it in a cool spot. Please let your local health department know that you have it. They may offer to test it. If not, we will arrange to have it tested.

5. If any family member is currently sick, please be sure to attend to careful hygiene. Frequent hand washing can help reduce the risk of spreading infection among family members.

Marler Clark is pursuing claims on behalf of over 100 families who have contacted the firm in the wake of the Salmonella outbreak traced to contaminated peanut butter, and will file a Salmonella lawsuit against ConAgra foods tomorrow.  You can keep up to date on the Salmonella outbreak here at the Salmonella blog, or at the FDA Web site.