Kellogg recalls 16 products due to salmonella risk

Source: Washington Post online

Saturday, January 17, 2009; 12:51 AM
Kellogg Co. on Friday recalled 16 products containing peanut butter due to possible salmonella contamination, adding new urgency to the nationwide outbreak as federal officials confirmed contamination at a Georgia facility that ships peanut products to 85 food companies.

The Battle Creek, Mich., company earlier this week had asked stores to pull some of its venerable Keebler crackers from shelves as a precaution. But in a statement late Friday, Kellogg said it was voluntarily announcing a formal recall of the crackers and other products in light of the problems in Georgia.

The outbreak has sickened hundreds of people in 43 states and killed at least six.

"The actions we are taking today are in keeping with our more than 100-year commitment to providing consumers with safe, high-quality products," said David Mackay, Kellogg's president and CEO. "We apologize for this unfortunate situation."

The recall includes Austin and Keebler branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, as well as some snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies.

Sandra Williams, a compliance officer with the Food and Drug Administration in Detroit, advised consumers not to eat the product and to contact a doctor if they have any symptoms. She also urged careful disposal of the tainted products to avoid the risk of homeless people finding and eating them.

"Kellogg reacted promptly to this potential public health risk after receiving notification of the potential problem from their supplier," Williams said.


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Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/16/AR2009011602903.html?hpid=moreheadlines

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Update on FDA's Investigation
January 16, 2009: At this time, the Food and Drug Administration based, in part, on sample results by the State of Minnesota, has traced one likely source of Salmonella Typhimirium contamination to a plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). The plant in Georgia manufactures peanut butter and peanut paste, a concentrated product consisting of ground, roasted peanuts. In many instances, the peanut butter and peanut paste manufactured by PCA are further distributed to manufacturers to be used as ingredients in many products, including cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream. Additionally, FDA has determined that some of the peanut butter is distributed in bulk for further manufacturing into products containing peanut butter and to large institutions, such as nursing homes and hospitals.

The FDA has initiated inspections at some of the direct distributors of PCA, including King Nut, and continues to follow the distribution points for PCA peanut butter and peanut paste products. FDA’s investigators are collecting distribution and other records to identify and follow up with additional firms who are in the distribution chain for these products.

Peanut Corporation of America Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter

Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), a peanut processing company and maker of peanut butter for bulk distribution to institutions, food service industries, and private label food companies, today announced a voluntary recall of peanut butter produced in its Blakely, Georgia processing facility because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

All product affected was produced on or after July 1, 2008, specific to the lot numbers and descriptions listed below.

The peanut butter being recalled is sold by PCA in bulk packaging to distributors for institutional and food service industry use. It is also sold under the brand name Parnell’s Pride to those same industries. Additionally, it is sold by the King Nut Company under the label King Nut. PCA customers who received the recalled product are being notified by telephone and in writing.

None of the peanut butter being recalled is sold directly to consumers through retail stores.

“We deeply regret that this has happened,” said Stewart Parnell, owner and president of PCA. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily withdrawing this product and contacting our customers. We are taking these actions with the safety of our consumers as our first priority.”

PCA initiated this recall after an open container of King Nut brand peanut butter in a long-term care facility in Minnesota was found to contain a strain of salmonella. King Nut brand peanut butter is produced by PCA.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the Minnesota laboratory analyses on the contamination in the already-opened container of peanut butter have the same genetic fingerprint as the cases in the national outbreak that has sickened almost 400 people in 42 states.

The voluntary recall of 21 lots of its peanut butter, in containers ranging from five to 50 pounds, is being taken immediately. PCA is notifying its institutional customers and has set up a toll-free hotline number 1-877-564-7080 to answer questions.

PCA is continuing to work closely and cooperating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state officials as part of this ongoing investigation.

According to a CDC update issued on their website today (January 13, 2009), preliminary analysis of an epidemiologic study conducted by CDC and public health officials has suggested peanut butter as a likely source. The CDC and other public health officials are continuing to conduct surveillance for cases of infection with the outbreak strains, and to gather and analyze data or exposures that may be associated with illness. To date, no association has been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores.

Customers are asked to take all peanut butter manufactured with the lot numbers listed below out of distribution immediately. Customers can call the following toll-free 24-hour number 1-877-564-7080 for further instructions on what to do with the product or visit the company website at www.peanutcorp.com for additional information.

Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can result in abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and fever. Most people infected with Salmonella develop the symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses. For more information on the salmonella bacteria, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Website at http://www.cdc.gov.

Lot Numbers Affected:

8193, 8194, 8197, 8233, 8234, 8235, 8241, 8255, 8256, 8275, 8276, 8282, 8283, 8284, 8296, 8316, 8330, 8331, 8336, 8345, 8354

Stock Numbers
Descriptions
Pack Size Affected

551000
Creamy Stabilized Peanut Butter
6 ct / 5 lb

551006
Crunchy Stabilized Peanut Butter
6 ct / 5 lb

551020
Creamy Stabilized Peanut Butter
35 lb

551022
Natural Course Peanut Paste
35 lb

551025
Old Fashioned Creamy Peanut Butter with 1% Salt
35 lb

551035
Crunchy Natural Peanut Butter
35 lb

551040
Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
35 lb

551050
Creamy Stabilized Peanut Butter
50 lb

551050-D
Dark Creamy Stabilized Peanut Butter
50 lb

551051
Creamy Stabilized Peanut Butter with Monodiglyceride
50 lb

551053
Crunchy Stabilized Peanut Butter
50 lb

551072
Peanut Butter Variegate
45 lb

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/peanutcorp01_09.html

Given the potentially-wide distribution of this peanut butter and peanut paste as ingredients in numerous products, the FDA is asking companies to check the records of their supply chain and determine if their peanut butter and peanut paste ingredients came from PCA, and if so, to take appropriate precautionary measures.

This is a very active and dynamic investigation. FDA continues to receive sample results and other information. Therefore, at this time, FDA is not providing consumers with specific information about what brands or types of products they should avoid. As the investigation continues and leads to specific products, the FDA will continue to provide updates.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html

sorry to hear this, because kebbler cookies are a favorite brand of many of us.

Peanut butter, who'd have thunk it?

...but not now. Kind of glad I can't eat the darn things.

I hope no one gets sick.

It has become very evident that processed foods contain ingredients that are either unhealthy
( HF corn syrup, phosphates, food colorings and dyes, hormones and antibiotics, etc)
or contain contaminated ingredients ( melamine in milk powders, flour, wheat gluten),
and now we are seeing almost weekly reports of botulism, salmonella, from foods here at home.
In short, we gave up control of the source, purity, and content of our food, and we shall to take it back to stay healthy.

IMHO.

DNC: McCain Myth Buster: John McCain and Louisiana's Farmers
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS231069+03-Jun-2008+PRN20080603



Asshole republicons.

We need a serious reform of the FDA. They are useless.

picked up out of dumpsters and eaten. Haven't seen a food company make that note on a recall before.

:thumbsup:

in our country now.