FEDS WARN AMERICANS TO AVOID PEANUT BUTTER
As reported last week on our blog, Kellogg has pulled a number of it peanut butter products from the shelves in response to a salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter manufactured by the Peanut Corporation of America. Federal officials are now warning Americans to avoid any snack food that includes peanut butter in the ingredients as these foods may be contaminated with salmonella. This warning does NOT apply to jars of peanut butter.
To date, the outbreak has been linked to 470 illnesses and six deaths in 43 states. The investigation has expanded since officials confirmed salmonella contanimation at a Georgia facility owend by the Peanut Corporation of America, which ships peanut products to 85 companies including Kellogg's which produces Keebler and Famous Amos products.
The FDA is recommending that consumers avoid peanut crackers and candy bars until the companies are cleared by the FDA as not having used peanut butter from the contaminated facility. It will take time to determine the source of the outbreak, but the government must move as quickly as it can since Peanut Corp sold to compaies that distributed to schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Salmonella is particularly dangerous to the young, elderly and ill, so health officials have urged these institutions to throw out specific containers of peanut butter linked to the outbreak.
