Peanut Butter Recall Update
Updated 2007- The latest report on the peanut butter/salmonella ordeal, which was published in a June 1 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), reported that 628 people from 47 states fell ill due to a stain of salmonella called Salmonella serotype Tennessee that was found in Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter.
The CDC says that they still do no know the source of the peanut butter contamination. Officials from the FDA and the CDC are continuing to investigate the outbreak. The producer of the peanut butter, ConAgra, blamed the salmonella contamination on a roof leak or a faulty sprinkler system which could have possibly started bacterial growth in the plant where the peanut butter was manufactured.
The dates of onset known for 481 of the patients ranged from August 1, 2006 all the way to April 23, 2007. Reports of illness dropped dramatically in mid-February after the health alert was issued by the FDA.
Infections involving this strain are very rare and only represent 0.1% of all known salmonella strains. Only one other food-related outbreak of infant powdered milk formula has been associated with the Salmonella Tennessee strain. The reported illnesses were strongly associated with consumption of either Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter, which were produced in the same plant. Many victims of this salmonella outbreak are filing lawsuits against ConAgra.