The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has warned consumers of possible salmonellabacteria contamination in certain jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter.
The jars in question have a product code that begins with "2111" on the lid. Both varieties of peanut butter were manufactured at a ConAgra facility in Georgia, and some of the product was distributed to Minnesota stores.
In Bemidji, Wal-Mart, Lueken's Village Foods North and South, and MarketPlace Food & Drug sell these brands. The stores received notice of the recall Thursday morning and removed jars with the "2111" code from the shelves.
Harmony Natural Food Coop, Target, Pamida and Kmart don't carry Peter Pan or Great Value brands of peanut butter. The MDA advises consumers who purchased these brands with the recalled code to discard them. Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers and not featuring the "2111" code is not affected.
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the peanut butter based on a study that linked 288 cases of food-borne illness in 39 states to consumption of varying types of Peter Pan peanut butter. The first illnesses apparently occurred in August, and the FDA reported that the outbreak appears to be ongoing.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, five salmonellosis cases in Minnesota are potentially linked to the contaminated peanut butter. All five of the individuals have either recovered or are recovering. The MDA has also collected samples of the peanut butter for laboratory testing.
The bacterium involved in this outbreak is Salmonella Tennessee, which is known to cause food-borne illness. Symptoms may include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Symptoms usually begin within 12 to 72 hours after exposure, but can begin up to a week after exposure. Salmonella infections usually resolve in five to seven days, but approximately 20 percent of cases require hospitalization. In rare cases, salmonella infection can lead to death, particularly in the elderly or those with weakened immune systems.
The MDH has urged anyone who may have eaten these products and become ill to contact a health care provider immediately.
