Vanquishing Georgia: Peanut Butter Recall Expands

Friday, March 9, 2007

Peanut Butter Recall Expands

Sylvester, GA
The recent salmonella outbreak, which was traced to a ConAgra Foods plant in the town of Sylvester in an illegal immigrant infested region of south Georgia, has been expanded to include brands other than Peter Pan and Walmart's Great Value peanut butter. Salmonella has also been found in some dessert and ice cream toppings.

The salmonella germ is a group of bacteria that pass from the feces of people or animals to other people or other animals and can cause diarrheal illness in humans. Salmonella bacteria have been known to cause illness for more than 100 years.

To date, nearly 400 people have contracted salmonella from products manufactured at the south Georgia plant. Last week the FDA announced that they had found salmonella to be present in the plant, but declined to indicate the source. The plant remains closed.

These product are now thought to also be contaminated:

- Sonic Brand Ready-To-Use Peanut Butter Topping (6 lb., 10.5 oz. cans) used to make the peanut butter regular and fudge shakes and the peanut butter regular and fudge sundaes. Sonic discontinued use of this topping on February 16 when the recall began.

- Carvel Peanut Butter Topping (6 lb., 10 oz. cans) used in the following various Carvel ice cream products: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Treasure, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae Dasher, and other customized products containing the peanut butter toppings and flavors for ice cream within the cakes used by Carvel. These toppings and flavorings or products were discontinued by Carvel on February 16 when the recall began.

- J. Hungerford Smith Peanut Butter Dessert Topping (6 lb., 10 oz. cans). Although this product is not available for direct public purchase, retailers and restaurants across the U.S. may have used this topping in or on their food products.