FDA warns Americans on consumption of peanut butter

Washington, United States, January 18: The FDA has cautioned Americans to refrain from consuming products containing peanut butter, while the agency works to trace the tainted goods.

The Salmonella outbreak threatened public health, sickening 474 people in 43 states causing six deaths. Stephen Sundlof, director of FDA’s Center for Food and Safety and Applied Nutrition said, "Product specific information will become available in the next few days."

Retail peanut butter sold in jars on grocery store shelves is safe, and need not be avoided. The focus is primarily on peanut paste used in snacks, which seems to be potentially contaminated.

The FDA has traced one likely source of salmonella contamination to Peanut Corporation of America’s Blakely plant, Georgia (PCA). Here the company manufactures peanut butter and peanut paste, a concentrated product consisting of ground, roasted peanuts. The FDA is urging PCA to inform consumers about possible contamination in their products

President of the PCA, Patrick Archer stated that "While approximately 99.9 per cent of peanut butter and peanut paste in America did not come from the Blakely plant, consumers must err on the side of safety until the FDA finds out exactly which products are and are not affected. This is the best way to ensure continued confidence in the safety, quality and nutritional benefits of American peanut products."

Tests by the Georgia Department of Agriculture found peanut butter from the plant tested positive for salmonella, but tests to determine if that salmonella is an exact DNA match to the outbreak strain, are still ongoing. Although none of the products was sold in retail to the public, some of the peanut butter and peanut paste manufactured by PCA is used as ingredients in products such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream. Some of the peanut butter is also distributed in bulk for further manufacturing into products containing peanut butter. Peanut butter is also supplied to large institutions, such as nursing homes and hospitals.

PCA is increasingly recalling peanut butter and peanut paste made at the plant between Aug. 8, and Sept. 26, 2008. Despite an inspection in summer, salmonella was detected in the recent tests.

Number of items affected by the tainted peanut butter rose, after Kellogg’s company added 12 items including Keebler Soft Batch Home Style Butter Cookies and the famous Peanut Butter Cookies. Health officials are urging people to throw away the products.

David Mackay. President and CEO of the company said the products "have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. The actions we are taking today are in keeping with our more than 100-year commitment to providing consumers with safe, high-quality products."

Most supermarkets had removed the contaminated products by the weekend. Pull-offs extended even to bakery items, they have suspended production for a while.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that though the bacteria-typhimueium is not dangerous, the elderly and vulnerable might be at high risk.

"The CDC estimates that for every documented Salmonella illness, more than 38 people just "tough it out" and don't go to the doctor or are never tested. That means that this outbreak may have sickened 17,000 people. It is the FDA's responsibility to make sure that it doesn't sicken anyone else."