Salmonella Outbreak Spreads to 41 States

FDA continues to advise consumers not to eat any Peter Pan peanut butter purchased since May 2006.

(ATLANTA ) - Product testing by several states has now confirmed that Peter Pan peanut butter and certain Great Value brand peanut butter are the sources of the foodborne illness outbreak of Salmonella Tennessee that began in August 2006.

To date 329 individuals have become ill from consuming the contaminated peanut butter, and 51 of those persons were hospitalized.

The outbreak is ongoing.

All products containing Peter Pan brand peanut butter and all jars of Great Value brand peanut butter bearing a product code that begins "2111" are potentially contaminated.

Potentially contaminated products include 3/4 ounce and 1.1 ounce single serving packs of Peter Pan brand peanut butter.

All of these products contain peanut butter that was manufactured in ConAgra's Sylvester, Georgia plant.

Retailers and institutions possessing the products described should not serve or sell them.

Advice to Consumers:

FDA continues to advise consumers not to eat any Peter Pan peanut butter purchased since May 2006.

FDA also continues to advise consumers not to eat any Great Value peanut butter purchased since May 2006 with product codes beginning with the numbers “2111” on the jar lid.

All such products should be thrown out.

If consumers cannot find a number on the jar lid or are unsure, the safest thing to do is to discard the product.

Individuals who have recently eaten the affected Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter and who have experienced any symptoms of Salmonella infection should contact their health care provider immediately.

Symptoms include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

For persons in poor health or with weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.

Anyone who has a jar of the affected peanut butter and who has become ill also should report that they have a jar to state or local health authorities.

Individuals who have eaten the affected peanut butter within the last week and who do not feel sick most likely will not get sick.

However, persons who begin to have any of the symptoms outlined above should see a health care professional.

Similarly, institutional food establishments and other food service providers who have received reports of illness from consumers after they consumed one of these products are encouraged to share that information with their local health department.

ConAgra has recalled these products from stores and ceased production in their Sylvester, Georgia processing plant until the exact cause of contamination can be identified and eliminated.

FDA is continuing to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and with states and local officials to identify how the contamination occurred in order to prevent similar foodborne illness outbreaks.

Consumers who have questions should contact ConAgra at (866) 344-6970.