Peanut butter recall!

[mary9761]

Check the peanut butter you have in the cabinet. I checked our peanut butter that we'd bought at WalMart and sure enough we had the Great Value peanut butter with the 2111 code on it. I was sick with what I thought might be the stomach flu a couple days before the superbowl, but it may have been the peanut butter? Mark had symptoms a couple days later but not as bad as mine.
Mary





Peanut Butter Recall

Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007 - 10:44 PM




The FDA is warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter.

They say these products may be contaminated with salmonella

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter due to risk of contamination with Salmonella Tennessee (a bacterium that causes foodborne illness). The affected jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter have a product code located on the lid of the jar that begins with the number "2111." Both the Peter Pan and Great Value brands are manufactured in a single facility in Georgia by ConAgra. Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected.

If consumers have any of this Peter Pan or Great Value brand peanut butter in their home that has been purchased since May 2006, they should discard it.

Symptoms of foodborne illness caused by Salmonella include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor underlying health or weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections. Individuals who have recently eaten Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 and have experienced any of these symptoms should contact their doctor or health care provider immediately. Any such illnesses should be reported to state or local health authorities.

FDA's warning is based on a just-completed epidemiological study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the states and local health agencies, which links 288 cases of foodborne illness in 39 states to consumption of varying types of Peter Pan peanut butter. This report was provided to FDA on February 13.

The outbreak appears to be ongoing and the first consumer may have become ill in August 2006. The cause of foodborne illnesses can be difficult to identify. As a result of extensive epidemiological testing and recent case control studies, CDC was recently able to identify Peter Pan peanut butter as the likely cause of illness. Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 is manufactured in the same plant as Peter Pan peanut butter and, thus, is believed to be at similar risk of contamination.

ConAgra is recalling all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 that already was distributed. The company also is destroying all affected products in their possession. The company will cease production until the exact cause of contamination can be identified and eliminated. ConAgra will advise consumers to destroy any Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 in their possession. To assist in this endeavor, FDA has sent investigators to ConAgra's processing plant in Sylvester, Georgia where the products are made to review records, collect product samples and conduct tests for Salmonella Tennessee.

FDA will provide regular updates as more information becomes available.

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

[KnottedYet]

Thank you for posting that!

I just checked my peanut butter. "Adams" made by Smuckers in Ohio, so I guess mine is ok.

I'm sorry you got sick from it, be sure to report it!

[Trek420]

Just checked mine, made by The Food Mill in Oakland, just peanuts and salt. I like Adams too :)

I'm sorry that you got sick :( . I hope you feel better soon.

[CyclChyk]

uhoh - I have Great Value in the cabinet but I am at work so I can't check it..........

I must remember to when I get home.......

[Pedal Wench]

Oh NO! My Peter Pan Honey Roast Crunch that I just had for breakfast starts with 2111!

21116347001843A

YIKES!!!

I'm gonna ask my friend who works with food borne stuff at the CDC what to do!

Argghhhh!!!! I knew I should have had the scambled eggs this morning!!!!:eek:

[mary9761]

I'm glad I went ahead and posted this too then. Hope you don't get sick. I'm not sure if I had the salmonella or just a stomach virus a couple weeks ago, but I'm going to report the illness just in case and find out if they want to test the peanut butter.
I had salmonella about 10 years ago and never wanted to be that sick again in my life, but that's very similar to how I felt the day I was sick here recently. Thing about it is we've eaten the peanut butter more than once and only got sick that one time so not too sure.
I hope the Silvers see this and check thier peanut butter possibly since Mr Silver was so sick the other day. I do know that the norovirus is going around too, but now you wonder how much might have actually have been salmonella?
I hope you don't get sick Pedal Wench. If you do depending on just how bad it hits you, you may just be able to ride it out like the stomach flu with clear fluids, tylenol for any fever. But the first time I had it (I wasn't as healthy as I am now even since I've been off the bike for several months with my back) I ended up in the ER on IV's. They wouldn't be able to tell for sure without taking (stool) samples and you usually don't find out for several weeks from the health department. Good luck.

[Pedal Wench]

Thanks, Mary. I sincerely hope that I'll be fine. I'm heading to Florida tomorrow for a 24-hour race, so I really can't be sick!

[mary9761]

Good luck, BTW, I LOVE your avatar with your cavie (guinea pig) wearing a CD for a hat :D

[RoadRaven]

Mary - are you completely over your tummy bug?

If not, go to the doctor and you'll probably be asked for a sample to have your gut bugs checked... salmonella can take a while to shake

Here's my experience of salmonella...

One of my boys contratced from our chickens when he was about three. He had white diarhea that was the consistency of water for the best part of a week, his "poo" didn't get back to a normal consistency for about 3 weeks. He lost so much weight and was listless for over a month. It was about 3 months before he started being his bouncy puppy self and gaining back the weight he'd lost. He was one very sick little boy. And there was nothing "they" could give us to "fix" it... just time..

One of the toughest things about being a parent is when your kids get sick when they are very young - you can't explain it will be ok, and they can't tell you hao they feel.

From my experience I don't think you had salmonella if you are completely over it - I am happy to be corrected but I don't think you can get it just "a little bit"... but if you are still at all squiffy, go get checked. Over here it is a notifiable disease and you have to stay away from work if you work in kitchens or with children til you are cleared.

Take care
Raven

[mary9761]

Thanks Raven, yes, I am feeling much better so I likely had a 24-48 hour bug. However when I had the confirmed Salmonella years ago, it had run it's course so to say within a couple days. There are varying degrees of how it effects people depending on a lot of different factors. Much like depending on one's immune system and degree of exposure different people's bodies react different ways to the flu etc as well.

[annie]

My 28 yr. old son recently went to see the doctor because he was having such stomach distress that he couldn't sleep at night. He ended up having a upper gastrointesinal scope (not sure exact name of procedure) and nothing was found. He called me just this morning, after he heard about the PB news. He HAS a jar of the PeterPan PB that is being recalled and had eaten it. Now he's wondering if possibly that was his problem. I suggested he call his doctor. I think he needs to be tested, altho' he is feeling much better now. What do you think? Is it too late? How long would evidence of salmonella remain in the bloodstream? Thanks to any of you healthcare ladies!

Annie

[Running Mommy]

My great value peanut butter had the dreaded 2111 on it!! I haven't had peanut butter for awhile, but I do remember my son and I having a really BAD case of what we called the stomach flu (yes I know there is no such thing) awhile back. We were sick for over a week!! I wonder if that had anything to do with it?? I can't remember, but I know I haven't had peanut butter in a long time.
UGH!! The thought!! :eek:

[Wahine]

I just want to say thanks to mary for posting this. I don't pay too much attention to the knews so there's no way I would've know had it not been for this thread. My PB's OK, but you better believe I checked right away.

[Eden]

Makes me wonder if some of the wide spread "stomach flu" outbreaks around here haven't been from this..... kids do love peanut butter and it seems like this is pretty wide spread. Even in a relatively small community as this one a lot of you have the recalled peanut butter (makes me glad I don't care too much for it!). A lot of people I know have been sick this year too.

[mary9761]

They're saying some of this peanut butter dates back as long as August etc. Of course the article says it was sold between May 2006 and Jan 2007! So who knows how many have actually thought they were fighting a stomach flu and it was salmonella. I specifically remember telling my husband when I had whatever it was that I had the first of Feb that I'd not been that sick since I'd had salmonella years ago!
I called our doctor and reported our earlier illness this month and tried to report it to the State board of health and got a recording. We're better now so there's no testing to see if that's what we had. That's the only way they can tell if you actually have salmonella or something else.

[emily_in_nc]

I am glad we make our own PB!

I heard a lady who sits near me at work saying she had a jar of the tainted PB - unopened, thankfully. It must be all over the country...

Emily

[Running Mommy]

I have to agree Eden. I was kind of shocked when I found that my peanut butter was a part of the recall. And yes, when we were sick it was BAD!!!
My mom had it too. She got it right after she left our house. I wonder if she had any peanut butter toast... Hmmmm... I'll have to call her.

[KnottedYet]

Once the salmonella bugs are out and breeding in you, can't you pass them thru plain ol' contact?

gentle reminder: EVERY ONE WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY AND OFTEN!!!!

handwashing is the #1 way to prevent the spread of buggies!

[btchance]

Eh - so I just looked and I have not one, but two jars of that PB. And I just ate a PB sandwhich after I got back from my run :eek: However, I've already ate over 1/2 of that jar (hince the second), so I'm sure I'll be okay, but that thing is getting thrown out for sure. Thanks for posting this!

[mary9761]

I got a call back this evening from the lady at the board of health and she told me to hold on to the jars just in case they need to test the peanut butter. She said that mostly the concern is with Peter Pan, but that Great Value IS made in the same plant. She said if there were any changes it would be announced on the news but took the codes and dates off the jar lids from me.
I told her that until I'd heard the thing about the peanut butter, I'd just assumed I'd picked up a bug when we were out to eat (someone not washing hands then touching spoons etc?) at the grocery from the shopping cart or even on the bus. I did tell her that I'd had salmonella many years ago and that I'd told my husband I'd never felt that sick since that salmonella. I told her that we'd eaten more than half the jar too and she said that often the bacteria may not be distributed evenly through the peanut butter.
If any of you have been sick and DO have the peanut butter in your home, first call your doctor's office and report the possible case, if you get sick and have symptoms and have the peanut butter in your house, go to your doctor ER and get tested. If you've already been sick after calling your doctor, call and report to your local board of health.
It IS all across the country. I told her that I'd mentioned this on several boards and that many of you had said that you'd been sick as well. Good luck to all.

[wannaduacentury]

Dh and I believe our friend got sick b/c of p-butter last week. At the time, there was a lot of stomach bugs going around too, but all is well now. They were ill for a day or so and back to work by tues w/ no ill effects. I found one jar of Peter pan w/ 2111 on the lid but made in california. the other brand was Skippy and no problems with them. I don't buy WM brand much. (and I'm in GA) Hope no one slse get sick. Jennifer

[CyclChyk]

Yup - ours was the dreaded BAD PB too....... we all ate some of it - my DH, me, and my 4 babies...........

Might explain the stinky poo but thats all I seem to remember going awry.......

Trash can here it comes.

[makbike]

I checked the giant tub of Peter Pan I picked up at Sam's a couple of months ago and it too has the 2111 code on it. I use this pb when I give my dogs, Gaston and Zorro, their pills each day. I also use it as a treat for my rabbit, Marconi, and my guinea pig, Watson. Thankfully, all the animals are well but I guess I need to toss the tub. I wonder how one goes about asking for a refund on a large tub? The code is not stamped on the lid but on the canister itself.

[mary9761]

All Peter Pan Peanut Butter is now included. Not JUST product code 2111.

news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070217/us_nm/salmonella_peanutbutter_dc

FDA widens peanut butter warning
Fri Feb 16, [2007] 11:11 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - All Peter Pan peanut butter bought since May 2006 should be discarded, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday in a statement broadening its warning about salmonella-contaminated peanut butter.

More than 290 people from 39 states have become ill in the food poisoning outbreak, and 46 have been hospitalized, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

ConAgra Foods Inc., which makes Peter Pan, said earlier it was checking the source of the contamination, which may have also affected the Great Value label peanut butter it makes for retailer Wal-Mart.

The FDA had said on Wednesday that certain batches of Peter Pan butter may contain salmonella and that all had a product code on the lid of the jar beginning with 2111.

The FDA said the suspect Great Value peanut butter also could be identified by the 2111 code.

The CDC has identified the strain of bacteria as Salmonella Tennessee, one of many strains of salmonella bacteria.

They can cause nausea, diarrhea and other ill effects, but usually the sickness clears up on its own in less than a week.

"Although Great Value peanut butter with the specified product code has not been linked by CDC to the cases of Salmonella Tennessee infection, the product is manufactured in the same plant as Peter Pan peanut butter and, thus, is believed to be at similar risk of contamination," the FDA said in a statement.

"Great Value peanut butter made by manufacturers other than ConAgra is not affected."

The FDA said it persuaded ConAgra to recall the peanut butter on Wednesday, shortly after the CDC confirmed it was investigating the outbreak.

"FDA laboratory personnel will analyze samples collected from the manufacturing plant," the agency said.

The last major outbreak of salmonella food poisoning in the United States was in November and was linked to tomatoes. It made 183 people ill in 22 states and Canada.

Every year, approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States and about 600 people die of it, according to the CDC.

Consumer groups have been complaining about federal food safety efforts, saying the various agencies involved, including FDA, CDC and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, do not work together well enough.

"If we cannot protect the nation's supply of peanut butter, one must ask how prepared we are for a terrorist attack on our nation's food supply," Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak (news, bio, voting record) said on Friday.

"As Chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I have already been working with Commerce Committee Chairman (John) Dingell to open an investigation into the adequacy of the FDA's efforts to protect our nation's food supply."

[Gowest]

I was hit thursday night with the dreaded stomach flu/salmonella. It hit hard and fast like a ton of bricks - I have had the stomach flu before and this was so much worse. I started feeling bad while seeing patients around 3PM - by 5PM I was home in the bathroom with my head in a bucket. Oh it was bad - I almost passed out three times - severe dehydration and cramping - headache and fever. I lost about 8 lbs overnight.

Then, I slept for two days - only to read the paper about the PB - sure enough I have a 2111 jar at work and one at home. I ususally eat a bagel with PB every day for breakfast or mid-day snack.

It could have been the flu - but is seemed far worse than anything I have ever had before.

Don't know if I can bring myself to eat peanut butter again - just the thought of it makes me sick.......

I will probably be off my bike for at least a week:mad: :(

It makes you wonder about prepared food in general. I am such a germ-a-phobe - constantly washing and sanitizing my hands. I am a dentist and work in patient's mouth and rarely if ever get sick by using good universal precautions - but this one really got me.......scary.

Debi

[mary9761]

I lost nearly 10 pounds overnight with my bout on the first of the month. Luckily I did keep some liquids down, but no fun. Sorry you got sick, call the doc and board of health. Hang on to your peanut butter in case they want/need to test it.
I'm guessing a lot of people who think they may have gotten a norovirus may actually have gotten salmonella.

[Xrayted]

Just wanted to bump this thread... I was needing some peanut butter tonight and so I root around and find a new jar in the cupboard. Hmmm, Peter Pan. I'm thinking, isn't that the one that is making everybody sick? I'm talking to Kitsune online and she says there's a thread on this in TE. So, off we go searching and here it is. So... yup, you guessed it, I have a 2111 code on my Peter Pan. Dangit. I really wanted that peanut butter sandwich. (you know how that can be :o)
We've been seeing tons of locals coming in our ER lately for abdominal cramps and severe vomiting. The novovirus has been taking the heat for it until the last few weeks. I just checked on my local paper's site and we've definitely been getting hit here. Now, they are saying that many in our area have been ill from the peanut butter. We had a guy tonight who was vomiting for over 2 hours in the ER and then puked thru his xrays as well. He waited until he couldn't take it anymore before even coming in. I have no idea what he could possibly have left to puke at this point. Maybe his pancreas?

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to Mary and all those who posted here before me. I never really watch tv and rarely read the paper anymore. I'm about to move and just have no extra time right now. So, if it ain't on TE, I don't know about it. :p

Take care and be safe ladies...

X. :D

[mary9761]

I'm glad you didn't have that peanut butter sandwich and end up sick like I did. Man I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. I can't prove that's what it was that I had, but I HAVE had Salmonella before and that's what it felt like. Before hearing about the peanut butter, I assumed I picked up something from a shopping cart or the bus anything but peanut butter.

[Mr. Bloom]

We found that we had a 2111...90% Empty:eek: :eek:

That's kind of like finding half a worm in your apple:D :D

Anyway, we weren't ever sick.

[Xrayted]

Glad to hear that you and Silver had an ok jar. I'm here trying to figure out if I'm just supposed to throw it all away or return it to someone for a replacement. It's such a lovely looking jar of peanut butter too. What a shame. I guess I'll go back to Skippy. As a kid, I ate Skippy because Annette Funicello did the commercials. :o :D

[Mr. Bloom]

I guess I'll go back to Skippy. :o :D

We've become HUGE FANs of the new natural peanut butters out there.

[Sparky]

I had a jar! Jar in my hand one morning getting ready to put it on toast. When our local radio station reported a story about it the peanut butter. What a weird feeling that was. I just skimmed thru the post here but I did not see where anyone mentioned that you can get a refund. Not that a refund helps if you got sick!The report I heard was to send the lid back to Conagra. It seems like it was a PO Box in omaha, nebraska. I don't know if I still have it written down. Still have not gotten a refund back but it has not been long since I sent in the lid. Guess you if anyone is interested in the refund they could call Conagra. I am sure I could call the radio station or our local conagra plant if anyone wants the address.

[mary9761]

My sister works for a walmart and she says if you want to get a refund/replacement for your peanut butter to take the complete jar back to them or I'd imagine anywhere you purchased you Skippy. If you just want a refund you can mail the lid to conagra and they know what lid goes to what jar.
The news has been telling everyone to throw the peanut butter away and send the lids in. A local lawyer said to hang on to the peanut butter (especially if you've gotten sick) otherwise you have no evidence that it WAS the peanut butter and not something else.
When I talked to the woman at the Indiana State Board of Health after we heard about the peanut butter recall and after we'd already been sick, she told me to hang on to our peanut butter (but isolate it) in case they need to test it. She also said that the salmonella that is in SOME of the peanut butter isn't necessarily distributed evenly throughout the product.
Good luck
Mary