Peanut Recall and Salmonella Outbreak

As of February 17, 2009, 642 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 44 states and Canada. The outbreak has been linked to peanut products from Peanut Corporation of America. The outbreak peaked in December and appears to be declining.

While the FDA’s food safety center says that most peanut butter jars sold in grocery stores appear to be safe, the CDC is urging consumers to postpone eating other peanut butter containing products (such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream) until information becomes available about whether these products might be affected. Bluff Country Co-op has removed all recalled product from our shelves. We regret the degree to which the contaminated peanuts have permeated the products in grocery stores across the U.S., but we are proud that we have safe and healthy alternatives, as well. Neither East Wind nor Maranatha purchase any peanut supply from the Peanut Corporation of America. Additionally, major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are NOT on the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) recall list.

More information and a searchable database of recalled products may be found at this CDC website. These items fell within the dates of concern and were pulled from bluff Country Co-op shelves: LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie Bar, Crispy Cat Peanut Candy Bar, Clif Peanut Butter Bar and Toffee Buzz Bar, and raw no-salt peanuts in bulk. We will have these products again when the safety concerns have been addressed to our satisfaction.