Salmonella Peanut Butter Outbreak Expands; 35 Ill in 19 States

Sunland, Inc recalls all nut butters made since March 2010 By Helena Bottemiller | October 5, 2012 Five more people have been added to a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney infections linked to peanut butter manufactured by Sunland, Inc., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday. In total, there are 35 reported illnesses in 19 states now linked to the outbreak, which has sparked an expansive recall of two years worth of peanut butter from the company. According to CDC, eight of those known to be sick  required hospitalization and more than 60 percent of those who got sick were children under the age of 10. No deaths have been reported. "Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt, manufactured by Sunland, Inc. of Portales, New Mexico, is a likely source of this outbreak," said CDC. It's not only the epidemiological investigation that has linked the peanut butter to illnesses — the same brand of peanut butter was found to contain the outbreak isolate. The Washington State Department of Agriculture laboratory found the positive test in a jar of peanut butter from one patient's home. On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also announced that environmental samples taken at the Sunland nut butter production facility tested positive for Salmonella, though the exact strain is not yet known. Sunland supplied nut products to several businesses, so peanut butter and almond butter products have been recalled nationwide from several retailers, including Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Target, and others. For a complete list of retailers and recalled products, see eFoodAlert. CDC is urging consumer to not eat the recalled nut butters, or products containing them. Consumers should dispose of any remaining jars of product in the home or return the product to the place of purchase for a refund. © Food Safety News More Headlines from Foodborne Illness Investigations » Tags: peanut butter, Salmonella Bredeney, Salmonella peanut outbreak, Trader Joe's