Peanut Butter Recall Expands to Other Products, Stores in Salmonella Outbreak

The maker of a Trader Joe’s peanut butter linked to a salmonella outbreak in Washington and 18 other states expanded its recall to other products sold at other national retailers.

Two of the 30 people who got sick were from Washington state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials say the likely source of the outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney is Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt, made by Sunland Inc. of Portales, N.M.

On Sept. 22, Trader Joe’s voluntarily recalled its Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut because of potential contamination with Salmonella. It also is recalling Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds and Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds.

On Monday, Sunland expanded its recall to include other products containing nuts and seeds sold under various brand names, including Archer Farms (sold at Target), Earth Balance and fresh & easy. (Click this link or see the attached PDF for the full list of recalled products.)

Consumer advice from the CDC’s website:

•The  CDC recommends that consumers do not eat recalled peanut butter and other products containing nuts and seeds and dispose of any remaining jars of these products in the home or return the jars to the place of purchase.

•This is especially important for children under the age of 5 years, older adults, and people with weak immune systems.

•Persons who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated peanut butter or other products containing nuts and seeds should consult their health care providers.

•Symptoms include: diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment.

According to the CDC’s case update Tuesday:

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from June 11, 2012, to September 11, 2012. Ill persons range in age from less than 1 year to 77 years, with a median age of 7 years. Sixty-three percent of ill persons are children under the age of 10 years. Sixty-six percent of ill persons are male. Among 13 persons with available information, 4 (31%) patients reported being hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Illnesses that occurred after August 30, 2012, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.