Whole Foods recalls peanut butter product due to Salmonella concerns

Whole Foods Market has recalled its Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets in four states, including Washington state.

Whole Foods’ product joins a growing list of items being recalled because they contain a peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America, whose plant in Blakely, Georgia has been identified as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak.

To date, 491 people have been infected with the bacterium in 43 states, including 13 in Washington—three of whom live in King County.

The recalled Whole Foods product had also been made with peanut paste produced at the Peanut Corporation of America facility.

The recalled nuggets were distributed to Whole Foods Market stores in California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada, the company said.

The nuggets come in a nine-ounce, clear plastic package with a label reading “Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets” and bears a UPC of 999482-000274. All lot codes are being recalled.

To date more 125 products have been recalled because of concerns that they may contain contaminated peanut paste, including products such as Kellogg’s Keebler and Austin brand peanut butter cracker sandwichs, peanut-flavored Clif Bar and NutriSystem products, ice cream sold at some Kroger outlets including Fred Meyer and QFC, and items sold at Trader Joe’s stores.

A searchable list of recalled products is available online at the FDA’s Web page on the outbreak.

Some pet food products have also been recalled, including PetSmart brand Great Choice dog biscuits, which, the FDA says, should be discarded.

The FDA advises consumers:

Consumers are advised not to eat products that have been recalled and to throw them away in a manner that prevents others from eating them.

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. Identification of products subject to recall is continuing, and FDA will update its list of recalled products and advice based on new sampling and distribution information.

For information on products containing peanut butter or peanut paste from companies not reporting recalls to date, consumers may wish to consult the company’s website or call the toll-free number listed on most packaging. Information consumers may receive from the companies in this manner has not been verified by the FDA.

If consumers cannot determine if their peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products or institutionally-served peanut butter may contain PCA peanut butter/peanut paste, FDA recommends they do not consume those products. Efforts to specifically identify products subject to the PCA recall and to continuously update consumers are ongoing.

Persons who think they may have become ill from eating peanut butter are advised to consult their health care providers.

At this time, there is no indication that any national name brand jars of peanut butter sold in retail stores are linked to the PCA recall.

Salmonella:

Salmonella is a bacteria which causes a gastrointestinal infection. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), People infected with the bacteria typically develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection.

Most people recover within 4 to 7 days without treatment, but infants, the elderly, and those with impaired immune systems are at risk of developing more severe infections in which the bacteria enters the bloodstream and infects other parts of the body, the CDC warns.

Such infections can be fatal and should be treated with antibiotics, the CDC says.

PHOTO CREDIT:  CDC

To learn more:

• Visit the CDC’s Salmonella Outbreak Update Web page.
• Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Salmonella Outbreak Update Web page.
• Visit the FDA’s “Frequently Asked Questions” Web page.
• Read more of LocalHealthGuides coverage in postings below.
• Visit the Whole Foods Market blog page, which has a discussion about the recall.
• Read the press release from Whole Food Markets press releases concerning the recall below..
• Visit Public Health – Seattle & King County information page which has links to information on Salmonella in Chinese, English, Korean, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Whole Foods Market press release:

Whole Foods Market Recalls “Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — AUSTIN, TX. (January 23, 2009) – Whole Foods Market today announced a recall of its Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets in four states because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The recalled products were distributed to Whole Foods Market stores in California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada.

The product comes in a nine-ounce, clear plastic package with a label reading “Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets” and bears a UPC of 999482-000274. All lot codes are being recalled.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

Whole Foods Market’s product supplier notified the Company of the potential for contamination of Salmonella.

The action was taken after the Peanut Corporation of America, a company that supplies bulk peanut butter, issued a recall of the peanut butter used to make these Whole Foods Market bakery products.

Consumers who have purchased Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets are urged to return them to the store for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-512-542-0656.

Tags: Peanut Butter, Product Recall, Salmonella

Category: Digestive System, Infections, Product Recall, Uncategorized