Category: food poisoning

Peanut Butter Recall – Not Just Trader Joe’s

Sunland, Inc., the manufacturer of Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter, has recalled all of its Almond Butter and Peanut Butter products manufactured between May 1, 2012 and September 24, 2012.

The recall was initiated, according to the company’s news release, after Sunland learned of the link between its product and 29 cases of Salmonella Bredeney illnesses in 18 states.

Jimmie Shearer, President and CEO of Sunland, Inc. issued the following statement:

“There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers, particularly the many families who enjoy our peanut butter everyday. While FDA, CDC, and State Health Agencies investigate to confirm the cause of illnesses reported, as a precautionary step, we have decided to voluntarily recall our Almond Butter and Peanut Butter products manufactured between May 1, 2012 and September 24, 2012. If you purchased these products, do not eat them. Please return the product to your supermarket for a full refund or dispose of it.”

The following brands of Peanut Butter and Almond butter are affected: Archer Farms, Earth Balance, fresh & easy, heinen’s, Joseph’s, Natural Value, Naturally More, Open Nature, Peanut Power, Serious Food, Snaclite, Sprouts Farmers Market, Sprout’s, Sunland, and Trader Joe’s. Read the news release, which includes a complete list of recalled products.

Illnesses caused by the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney have been documented in the following nineteen states, although not all of the cases are firmly linked to consumption of peanut butter. This information was amassed from the Sunland news release, alerts issued by various states, and information provided to eFoodAlert by email.

  • Arizona
  • California – 2 cases
  • Connecticut – 3 cases
  • Illinois – 1 case in McLean County with onset in August
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland – 1 case. A child under 18 years old, who was not hospitalized and who has recovered
  • Massachusetts – 3 cases
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota – 1 case
  • Missouri
  • New York – 1 case in New York City
  • North Carolina – 1 case (a child)
  • Pennsylvania – 2 cases
  • Nevada – 1 case in Clark County
  • New Jersey
  • Rhode Island – 1 case
  • Texas – 4 cases
  • Virginia
  • Washington – 2 cases, both male; a child (under 12 years old) from Thurston County and a teen (under 18 years old) from Spokane County

CDC reported on September 22nd that the earliest illness onset date for this outbreak was June 11, 2012; the most recent was September 2nd. Three-fourths (76%) of the outbreak victims are children under 18 years old; two-thirds are male. Four people have been hospitalized.

CDC offers the following Advice to Consumers, Retailers and Others

Contaminated Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter may make people sick.

  • Based on available information, CDC recommends that consumers do not eat recalled Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt and dispose of any remaining jars of this peanut butter product in the home or return the jars to any Trader Joe’s grocery store.
    • This is especially important for children under the age of 5 years, older adults, and people with weak immune systems.
  • Persons who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated Trader Joe’s peanut butter should consult their health care providers.
    • Symptoms include:
      • 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.
      • See Signs and Symptoms for more information.

Contaminated Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter may still be in consumers’ homes or available for sale on the internet.

  • Consumers who recently purchased recalled Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt are advised not to eat it and dispose of any remaining jars of this peanut butter or return the jars to the any Trader Joe’s grocery store.
  • Trader Joe’s has encouraged consumers to return the product to any Trader Joe’s grocery store for a full refund.
  • Retailers and food service operators should not sell or serve recalled Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt.
  • This product may still be available for sale from internet retailers.

What to do if you have Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter in your home:

  • Dispose of the product immediately or return it to any Trader Joe’s grocery store.
  • Even if some of the peanut butter has been eaten without anyone becoming ill, the rest of the peanut butter should be disposed of or returned.
  • If consumers choose to discard Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt, the product should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag and placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals from eating it.

Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter ‘Likely Source’ of Salmonella Outbreak

Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter is a “likely source” of 29 cases of Salmonella Bredeney infections in 18 states, according to CDC. Four people have been hospitalized.

The earliest reported onset date was June 11, 2012; the most recent illness emerged on September 2nd. Most of the illnesses developed during July and August.

Illnesses that occurred after August 29, 2012 might not have been reported yet, due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the cause of the illness is confirmed and reported. Three-fourths (76%) of the confirmed outbreak victims are children under 18 years of age; nearly two-thirds are male.

CDC has not released a list of affected states; however, some of the states have issued their own Alerts. These include:

The link between this outbreak and the peanut butter is based on patient interviews. Fourteen out of fourteen outbreak victims who were interviewed reported shopping at Trader Joe’s across the USA; twelve of the 14 (86%) reported eating Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt in the week before becoming ill.

Although the outbreak strain has not yet been found in a sample of the implicated peanut butter, Trader Joe’s has removed all Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt (16-oz plastic jars; SKU #97111) from sale in its stores, and has recalled all code dates of the peanut butter. The product was sold in Trader Joe’s stores nationwide and over the internet.

CDC has issued the following Advice to Consumers, Retailers and Others:

Contaminated Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter may make people sick.

  • Based on available information, CDC recommends that consumers do not eat recalled Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt and dispose of any remaining jars of this peanut butter product in the home or return the jars to any Trader Joe’s grocery store.
    • This is especially important for children under the age of 5 years, older adults, and people with weak immune systems.
  • Persons who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated Trader Joe’s peanut butter should consult their health care providers.
    • Symptoms include:
      • 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.
      • See Signs and Symptoms for more information.

Contaminated Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter may still be in consumers’ homes or available for sale on the internet.

  • Consumers who recently purchased recalled Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt are advised not to eat it and dispose of any remaining jars of this peanut butter or return the jars to the any Trader Joe’s grocery store.
  • Trader Joe’s has encouraged consumers to return the product to any Trader Joe’s grocery store for a full refund.
  • Retailers and food service operators should not sell or serve recalled Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt.
  • This product may still be available for sale from internet retailers.

What to do if you have Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter in your home:

  • Dispose of the product immediately or return it to any Trader Joe’s grocery store.
  • Even if some of the peanut butter has been eaten without anyone becoming ill, the rest of the peanut butter should be disposed of or returned.
  • If consumers choose to discard Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt, the product should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag and placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals from eating it.

Mexico Denies Link To Mango Outbreak – Update

“En México, no hay evidencia de la bacteria Salmonella Braenderup detectada en EU y Canadá”

– Government of Mexico, September 14, 2012

UPDATE: September 19, 2012. Today, FDA released the following statement:

FDA will continue to collaborate with and share information with Mexican and Canadian health and agricultural officials regarding this investigation.

Several ill persons have demonstrated food histories strongly linked to mangos from Agricola Daniella. FDA worked with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health to understand the epidemiology implicating mangos. FDA testing has detected Salmonella in samples taken from mangos at three distribution centers. The presence of Salmonella in closed boxes of mangos suggests that the contamination occurred with the producer. FDA and the Canadian health officials have worked together to determine that the outbreak in Canada is linked to Agricola Daniella.

After analyzing all of 14 samples taken from the production and packaging areas of Agricola Daniella, Mexico has concluded that there is no evidence of the Salmonella Braenderup outbreak strain that has sickened 142 people in the USA and Canada. Furthermore, a review of the genetic fingerprints of Salmonella circulating in Mexico this year, has led Mexican authorities to conclude that there is no information to link the outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada with any Mexican product.

The full text of Mexico’s statement follows:

En México no hay evidencia de la bacteria Salmonella Braenderup detectada en EU y Canadá

México, D.F., 14 de septiembre de 2012

Comunicado Conjunto

El Gobierno Federal concluyó la investigación para contribuir al esclarecimiento de las alertas de importación emitidas por Canadá y los Estados Unidos de América (EUA) a la empresa empacadora Daniella Mangos, por la posible presencia de Salmonella Braenderup, y después del exhaustivo trabajo de las agencias de sanidad y epidemiología, no se encontró contaminación en las instalaciones de la empresa mexicana por la cepa causante del brote en los vecinos países del norte.

A través de la Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios (COFEPRIS), la Dirección General de Epidemiología (DGE), el Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) y el Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA), el Gobierno Federal estableció la estrategia para colaborar en la investigación diagnóstica iniciada por Canadá y EUA en torno a un brote de Salmonella Braenderup, detectado en esos países.

Con la cooperación incondicional de la empacadora Daniella se desarrolló la investigación en sus áreas de producción y empaque, a fin de identificar la presencia de la cepa de Salmonella Braenderup reportada por las autoridades de EUA y Canadá. Se tomaron 14 muestras por duplicado que analizaron el SENASICA y la COFEPRIS y en ninguna se encontró evidencia de la bacteria.

A partir de la vigilancia rutinaria que lleva a cabo el sector salud, el InDRE realizó estudios de electroforesis por campos pulsados (PFEG, por sus siglas en inglés), para la identificación de la huella genética de la bacteria en las cepas de Salmonella circulando en todo el país en el presente año. Este estudio concluyó que la cepa de Salmonella causante de los brotes en EUA y Canadá es diferente de cualquier cepa que circula en México.

En conclusión, los estudios realizados por las autoridades mexicanas demuestran que no se cuenta con información que permita asociar los brotes en USA y Canadá con ningún producto mexicano.

Las autoridades mexicanas se encuentran en espera de que sus pares de Canadá y EUA presenten la evidencia científica de sus declaraciones y se reiteran atentas para continuar colaborando en la investigación en curso.

And the English translation (by Phyllis Entis, with an assist from Google Translate):

There is no evidence in Mexico of the Salmonella Braenderup bacteria detected in the USA and Canada

Mexico, D.F., 14 September 2012

Joint Statement

The Federal Government has conducted research into the possible presence of Salmonella Braenderup at the Daniella Mango packing house to help clarify the Import Alerts issued by Canada and the United States of America. After exhaustive work carried out by health and epidemiology agencies, no contamination was found at the premises of the Mexican company by the strain causing the outbreak in neighboring northern countries.

Through the Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (COFEPRIS), the General Directorate of Epidemiology (DGE), the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE) and the National Health Service, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA) the Federal Government established the strategy to assist in the diagnostic investigation initiated by Canada and the U.S. about a Braenderup Salmonella outbreak detected in those countries.

With the full cooperation of the packer, an investigation of their production and packaging areas was carried out to identify the presence of Salmonella strain Braenderup reported by authorities in the U.S. and Canada. Fourteen samples were analyzed in duplicate by SENASICA and COFEPRIS, and no evidence of the bacteria was found.

InDRE has reviewed the pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) data gathered during routine monitoring by the health sector to identify the genetic fingerprint of the bacteria Salmonella strains circulating in around the country this year. This study concluded that the Salmonella strain causing outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada is different from any strain circulating in Mexico.

In conclusion, the studies conducted by Mexican authorities show that there is no information to link the outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada with any Mexican product.

Mexican authorities are waiting for their peers in Canada and the U.S. to present evidence supporting their statements and have reiterated their intention to continue cooperating in the ongoing investigation.

Did anyone else hear the “SO THERE!” in that final paragraph?

In its September 13th update on the mango investigation, FDA was very careful to avoid stating what strain (or strains) of Salmonella it had found in mangos from Agricola Daniella, simply reporting that the agency had found Salmonella in “several samples of mangoes” from the producer. Chances are, this reticence is due to the time required to complete serotyping and genetic profiling on the Salmonella strains that FDA found.

Why the apparent difference between the FDA findings and the Mexican report?

There are several factors that are in play, including:

  1. Mexico was careful to restrict its protestation to the Salmonella Braenderup outbreak strain. The Mexican statement said nothing about whether or not other strains of Salmonella were found during its investigation.
  2. Mexico only examined 14 samples. We don’t know whether these were mangoes, samples from the packing house environment, or samples of water used to wash the mangos. Fourteen samples are not enough to do a thorough evaluation of the level of contamination in any production facility or packing house.
  3. The lab method used to analyze the samples can have a significant bearing on the chances of finding Salmonella.

The Mexican position does not surprise me, especially as it is very similar to the position taken by Mexico in the wake of last year’s Salmonella Agona outbreak that was linked to papayas from Mexico.

When FDA issued its Import Alert on Mexican papayas, the Mexican government issued a statement that said, in part (in translation),

“It should be noted that recent reports of outbreaks of “Salmonella” in the U.S., allegedly linked to Mexican papaya, cannot be linked with certainty to those papayas inspected [by FDA] in Mexico during the May to August 2011 investigation period.”

It would appear that very little has changed in the last year.