Connecticut Testing Links Salmonella Strain

To Suspected Peanut Butter

HARTFORD — State Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr announced January 20 that genetic testing on the 5-pound unopened tub of King Nut peanut butter found by food inspectors last week at a West Haven distributor has produced the first independently confirmed genetic match for the salmonella strain responsible for the nationwide outbreak.

This finding definitively links the peanut butter sample implicated in the recent outbreak back to the manufacturer, Peanut Corporation of America.

“Our work has been instrumental in helping the US Food and Drug Administration track and isolate the source of this tainted product, which has been linked to the death of several people and illness in hundreds,” Cmmsr Farrell said. “Thanks to the fine collaborative efforts between our Food Safety program and the Department of Public Health, this lethal outbreak may soon be contained.”

“Thus far, Connecticut’s King Nut peanut butter sample is the only intact sample that has been found with a PFGE that matches the outbreak strain as determined by clinical sample analysis,” Roberta F. Wagner, Compliance Director with the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition wrote in a communication today to Cmmsr Farrell. “It is therefore very important to get this message out,” she concluded.

PFGE refers to Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis, an electrophoresis technique for separation of large DNA for analysis.

Salmonella was found previously in an open five-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter in Minnesota. Connecticut’s finding, in an unopened tub of peanut butter, is the first sample linking the contamination directly back to the manufacturer.

The genetic results were reported out by the Department of Public Health Laboratory on January 18. Department of Consumer Protection inspectors continue to work with the Public Health laboratory and epidemiologists to prevent the further ingestion of this product by Connecticut consumers.

Peanut Corporation of America sells King Nut peanut butter — through various distributors — only to food service and food processor accounts. It is not sold directly to consumers. King Nut does not supply any of the ingredients for the peanut butter distributed under its label. Peanut Corp. expanded its recall Sunday to all peanut butter and all peanut paste produced at its Blakely, Ga., plant since July 1.

“We have obtained distribution information and are conducting recall effectiveness checks,” Cmmsr Farrell said. “While the recalled peanut butter itself is not sold at retail, I strongly reiterate the FDA’s advice that consumers avoid eating cookies, cakes, crackers, ice cream and other products made with peanut butter until the full scope of this outbreak can be determined.”

Vending Machines Targeted

In related news, Cmmsr Farrell, is warning consumers today to be wary when buying peanut butter products from vending machines in the next few days.

This warning is in response to consumer inquiries and the Kellogg Company’s recent announcement that it is placing a hold on Austin® and Keebler® brand Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Crackers, Cheese and Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, and Peanut Butter-Chocolate Sandwich Crackers.

The company that sells Little Debbie snacks also announced a recall of peanut butter crackers because of a potential link to a deadly salmonella outbreak.

The voluntary recall came one day after the government advised consumers to avoid eating cookies, cakes, ice cream, and other foods with peanut butter until health officials learn more about the contamination. The announcement by McKee Foods Corp. of Collegedale, Tenn., about two kinds of Little Debbie products was another in a string of voluntary recalls following the most recent guidance by health officials.

McKee said it had not received any complaints about illnesses from people who ate any size peanut butter toasty sandwich crackers or peanut butter cheese sandwich crackers. The recall covers crackers produced on or after July 1.

The Kellogg Co. (K), which listed Peanut Corp. as one of its suppliers, has recalled 16 products. McKee said Kellogg manufactured the Little Debbie crackers covered by the recall.

The Kellogg products recalled include Austin and Keebler branded peanut butter sandwich crackers, and some snack-size packs of Famous Amos peanut butter cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle peanut butter cookies.

Perry’s Ice Cream Co., based in Akron, N.Y., said it was recalling select ice cream products containing peanut butter because of the PCA investigation. Its recall covered New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. The South Bend Chocolate Co. in Indiana said Sunday it too was recalling various candies containing peanut butter from Peanut Corp. of America.

And in suburban Chicago, Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products recalled several brands of peanut butter cookies it sells through Wal-Mart stores.

All Products Listed

FDA has posted on its website a searchable list of products and brands associated with the expanded PCA recall at www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm. The list is updated as additional sub-recalls occur and as more information is received from the industry.

Consumers are encouraged to first visit FDA’s website to learn which commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products are subject to recall. If consumers cannot determine if a certain prepared product contains peanut butter or peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America, the FDA urges that they not consume those products.

Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.

Older adults, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to experience severe illness, and should be seen by a physician if they experience these symptoms.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection continues to work with United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assist in the evaluation of recalls of food and other products.