Fourteen cases of salmonella in several states have been linked to Jif peanut butter products, prompting J.M. Smucker Co. to issue a voluntary recall. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently investigating the outbreak. The products were made at the Smuckers facility in Lexington, Kentucky.
Two of the 14 cases reported so far were in Georgia. There were also two cases in Texas, and one case each in Arkansas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington.
Smuckers released a statement Friday saying the recalled peanut butter was in retail and other outlets. Recalled products include creamy, crunchy, natural and no-sugar-added varieties. The full list can be found on the FDA website. If you find any of these products in your home, the FDA recommends throwing them away immediately.
Lot codes, which appear next to the “best if used by” date, on the affected jars are 1274425-2140425. If you have questions or want to report a problem, visit www.jif.com/contact-us or call 1-800-828-9980 8 a.m.-5p.m. Monday through Friday.
According to the FDA, salmonella are “a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis.” Most people develop symptoms — a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool — 12 to 72 hours after infection. The symptoms usually last four to seven days with no treatment needed.
In 2007, more than 600 people in 47 states got sick from Peter Pan peanut butter shipped from Georgia. As a result, parent company ConAgra had to pay more than $11 million to settle a federal charge of shipping adulterated food.
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