Peanut Butter Products Contaminated

To date, more than 470 cases of salmonella have been linked to the tainted peanut butter in 43 states and Canada, including 22 hospitalizations and 5 deaths. According to the Center for Disease Control, California has the most cases of any state in the nation.

Because identification of products subject to recall is continuing, the FDA urges consumers to first visit FDA’s website to determine if commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products (such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream) are subject to recall. If consumers do not find the product of interest on FDA’s website they may wish to call the toll-free number listed on most food packaging or visit the company’s website.

PCA manufacturers peanut butter and peanut paste , a concentrated product consisting of ground, roasted peanuts. Both distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in many commercially produced products including cakes, cookies, crackers, candies, cereal and ice cream. In addition, PCA peanut butter is distributed to and institutionally served in such settings as long-term care facilities and cafeterias.The expanded recall list is quite extensive and includes major snack food brands such as Keebler, Famous Amos, Little Debbie, Hyvee and others as well as some cookies and fudge containing peanut butter or peanut paste sold through Wal-Mart bakeries.

Major brand-name peanut butter sold in jars are not believed to be affected.Consumers are urged to discard all products containing the tainted peanut butter or peanut paste. If a product is not listed, you can call the phone number for the product manufacturer listed n the label. If you can’t determine whether the product is safe, the FDA urges the public not to consume questionable peanut butter products and to discard them instead.

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This is rough. We bought about 15 jars of peanut butter last month, and were about to buy a #10 can of peanut butter powder. Thinking we'll wait a month or so, because updates to the contaminated list happen daily.

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The following is a list of Kellogg products recalled because of possible salmonella contamination:

Austin Quality Foods Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter - all sizes
Austin Quality Foods Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
Austin Quality Foods Mega Stuffed Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter - all sizes
Austin Quality Foods PB & J Cracker Sandwiches - all sizes
Austin Quality Foods Super Snack Pack Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
Austin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter - all sizes
Austin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin Quality Foods Cookie/Cracker Pack
Austin Quality Foods Variety Pack
Keebler Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
Keebler Toast & PB'n J Flavored Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
Keebler Toast & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies (2- and 3-ounce)
Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies (2.5-ounce)

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Kroger's brand of ice cream (Private Selection) that has peanut butter is also being recalled.

Please check your product and the available lists before consuming peanut products - use this link and it's search capability: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28719699/2/ , http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28695782/, http://eastcountymagazine.org/?q=node/451