Salmonella Found in Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter

February 2007

Check your kitchen cupboards for Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter – it could be tainted with Salmonella. Certain jars of the peanut butter contain the Salmonella Tennessee bacterium, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This particular strain of the bacterium is so rare that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) records only about 100 cases per year.

The Salmonella Tennessee illness has been detected in jars manufactured from a ConAgra facility in Georgia. Over 400 cases of the illness have been reported across the United States, including Pennsylvania. About 15 percent of those who became ill were hospitalized.

An updated recall notice identifies all Peter Pan peanut butter products purchased since October 2004 as potentially tainted with Salmonella. This includes all Peter Pan single serving items as well, in both 0.75 ounce and 1.1 ounce sizes. However, only the jars of Great Value peanut butter with a “2111” product code printed on the lid and purchased since October 2004 have been implicated as dangerous. Any Great Value peanut butter that matches this description, as well as all Peter Pan varieties, should not be eaten.

Salmonella may cause such symptoms as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and fever. For people with weakened immune systems, it may even lead to potentially fatal infections. The FDA has advised anyone who has experienced these symptoms after recently eating Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter to contact their health care professional as soon as possible.

Although related instances of infection have been reported to the FDA since August of 2006, identifying the source of the Salmonella was not easy because this is only the second known outbreak of the bacterium to be linked to peanut butter. By using 300-question surveys in the most affected regions of the United States, authorities were finally able to determine that peanut butter was the source.

If you, or someone you care about, have consumed tainted peanut butter, it's important to take action to ensure safety. Contact your health department with information about your specific Salmonella case. Save the leftover peanut butter jar by covering it with a plastic bag. Place it in the refrigerator to be saved for testing. And be sure to maintain good hygiene, as it is important in preventing the spread of Salmonella.

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