Salmonella - Linked with two peanut butter brands

Between August 2006 and February 2007 an outbreak of Salmonellosis in the United States has affected 370 people and caused 51 hospitalizations. The cases have been related to contaminated peanut butter and have occurred in 42 of the 50 United States.

The strain of Salmonella, Tennessee type, has been detected in two brands of peanut butter - Peter Pan peanut butter and Great Value peanut butter. Both products were manufactured in the same facility in Georgia, by the ConAgra Company. The Peter Pan product was shipped internationally to about 60 countries; the Great Value brand was sold in Wal Mart stores in the USA only.

Health authorities have instructed consumers to avoid eating all Peter Pan peanut butter purchased after May 2006. Also avoid eating Great Value peanut butter purchased after May 2006 if its product code starts with the numbers "2111". All other Great Value peanut butter is considered safe for consumption.

Update March 1: Some of the contaminated peanut butter was sent to another plant, in Tennessee, where it was made into peanut butter ice cream toppings. The FDA now advises consumers to avoid:

• · Sonic Brand Ready-To-Use Peanut Butter Topping in 6 lb. 10.5 oz cans. The fast food chain Sonic used this topping until it was recalled on 2/16/07.
• · Carvel Peanut Butter Topping in 6 lb. 10 oz. cans. Carvel used the topping until it was recalled on 2/16/07. Recalled.
• · J. Hungerford Smith Peanut Butter Dessert Topping in 6 lb. 10 oz. cans. This is a product used in restaurants and retail venues throughout the USA. It is not available for direct purchase by the public.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the peanut butter manufacturers are investigating the situation. ConAgra has established a hotline for consumers: 866-344-6970 (within the USA).

The Disease - Salmonellosis occurs when people ingest Salmonella bacteria, usually by eating food contaminated with animal feces. About 12 to 72 hours after infection patients develop diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps. The illness lasts between four and seven days. Most people recover on their own without treatment.

In severe cases - which occur more frequently among elderly people, infants and people with compromised immune systems - the diarrhoea can become severe and require hospitalization to prevent dehydration. The infection can also spread from the intestines to the blood stream, which carries it to other parts of the body. These cases can be fatal unless quickly treated with antibiotics.

Do not eat any Peter Pan peanut butter purchased after December 2005 (older advice says May 2006, this was updated in March).

Do not eat Great Value peanut butter purchased after December 2005 if its product code starts with the numbers "2111".

If you have either of these foods, discard them.

Consider whether you have eaten peanut butter ice cream products at any of the facilities mentioned above prior to February 16, 2007. If you did, monitor your health. Salmonella symptoms typically appear within 1-3 days after eating the contaminated product.

Consult your health care provider if you have eaten any of the products involved in this outbreak and experience severe diarrhoeal illness with bloody diarrhoea, fever, or symptoms lasting more than three days.