Many lawsuits have been filed after people became ill from eating salmonella contaminated peanut butter. There have been over 600 known cases of illness in 47 different states from the Peter Pan brand peanut butter.
The peanut butter was voluntarily recalled by ConAgra Foods, the makers of Peter Pan, on February 14, 2007. The Peter Pan recall included peanut butter as far back as 2004.
The family of Kristina Brugh is suing ConAgra for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. Eleven year-old Kristina contracted salmonella poisoning and had kidney failure after eating the contaminated peanut butter two weeks before the FDA recall. Kristina’s father, John Brugh Jr., donated his kidney to his daughter to help her survive.
Timothy Harper, a Nashville resident, is suing ConAgra as well. Harper had to be hospitalized with salmonella after he ate the Peter Pan peanut butter. He is charging the company with negligence and with violating the Tennessee Products Liability Act.
ConAgra is planning on reintroducing Peter Pan in July and is going to have another company produce it until renovations are completed on the Sylvester plant.