Peanut butter case timeline
Key dates in the peanut butter salmonella case:
September--
-- First illnesses reported in country, but no general outbreak suspected
Nov. 9--
-- First Minnesotans get ill, but state officials did not learn of the cases until Nov. 17
November, December, early January--
-- Number of salmonella typhimurium cases increases, but investigators lack evidence pointing to a cause
-- Federal and state health officials hold numerous conference calls about the outbreak
Dec. 21--
-- Nine Minnesota cases match the national outbreak strain
-- Shirley Mae Almer of Perham dies due to salmonella poisoning, probably the first death related to the outbreak
Dec. 22--
-- Three new cases reported at Brainerd nursing home
-- Minnesota Health Department's Stephanie Meyer begins to strongly suspect peanut butter as the cause
Jan. 5--
-- Minnesota Agriculture Department inspector retrieves open peanut butter tub from Brainerd nursing home for testing
Jan. 7--
-- Centers for Disease Control reports 388 people infected in 42 states, but officially the cause is unknown
Jan. 8--
-- Minnesota and federal officials find link between King Nut peanut butter and illnesses
-- National media begins to notice the outbreak
Jan. 9--
-- Number of Minnesota cases rises to 30
-- Minnesota Agriculture Department laboratory confirms salmonella in Brainerd peanut butter
-- Ag officials contact Sysco in Fargo, N.D., which distributed the peanut butter in northern and western Minnesota
-- Minnesota agriculture and health officials warn the public that some peanut products may be dangerous
Jan. 10--
-- PCA quits making peanut paste and peanut butter and recalls King Nut and Parnell's Pride products
-- Food and Drug Administration inspects Peanut Corporation of America plant in Blakeley, Ga., where King Nut was made
Jan. 13--
-- PCA announces recall of 21 lots of peanut butter and paste
Jan. 16--
-- PCA expands recall to all peanut butter produced since Aug. 8 and all peanut paste made since Sept. 26
Jan. 17--
-- FDA announces Minnesota and Georgia laboratories confirm salmonella in PCA products, but still cannot confirm that caused the outbreak
Jan. 18--
-- PCA extends recall to all peanut butter and paste made in its plant since July 1
Jan. 21--
-- FDA announces that federal, Minnesota and Connecticut labs confirm the PCA salmonella caused the illness outbreak
-- Some pet foods recalled
-- FDA inspects a PCA facility in Texas
Jan. 28--
-- PCA recalls all peanut products produces since Jan. 1, 2007
Feb. 2--
-- With more than 2,000 products recalled, Minnesota food inspectors cover the state making sure none remain on store shelves
Now--
-- More than 600 Americans became ill and nine died due to the outbreak
-- PCA is closed and has filed for bankruptcy
Sources: Minnesota Health Department, Minnesota Agriculture Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
-- Don Davis
