Now it's some Little Debbie peanut butter crackers that are being recalled because there's a chance of salmonella contamination. That's the word Sunday from McKee Foods Corp. of Collegedale, Tenn. The voluntary recall covers all sizes of two kinds of sandwich crackers — Little Debbie peanut butter toasty crackers and Little Debbie peanut butter cheese crackers. The company says no other Little Debbie products are involved in the recall. McKee says it acted because the crackers have the potential to be contaminated. The McKee Food recall follows a Saturday warning from federal health authorities urging consumers to avoid eating cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods that contain peanut butter until authorities can learn more about the deadly salmonella outbreak. Most peanut butter sold in jars at supermarkets appears to be safe, said Stephen Sundlof, head of the Food and Drug Administration’s food safety center. "We urge consumers to postpone eating any products that may contain peanut butter until additional information becomes available," Sundlof told reporters in a conference call. "As of now, there is no indication that the major national name-brand jars of peanut butter sold in retails stores are linked to the recall." Officials are focusing on peanut paste, as well as peanut butter, produced at a Blakely, Ga., facility owned by Peanut Corp. of America. Its peanut butter is not sold directly to consumers but distributed to institutions and food companies. But the peanut paste, made from roasted peanuts, is an ingredient in cookies, cakes and other products that people buy in the supermarket. “This is an excellent illustration of an ingredient-driven outbreak,” said Dr. Robert Tauxe, who oversees foodborne illness investigations for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far, more than 470 people have gotten sick in 43 states, and at least 90 had to be hospitalized. At least six deaths are being blamed on the outbreak. Salmonella is a bacteria and the most common source of food poisoning in the U.S., causing diarrhea, cramping and fever. Officials said new illnesses are still being reported in the outbreak investigation. The Kellogg Co., which listed Peanut Corp. as one of its suppliers, has recalled 16 products. They include Austin and Keebler branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, and some snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies. Health officials said consumers who have bought any of those products should throw them away. Peanut Corp. has recalled all peanut butter produced at the Georgia plant since Aug. 8 and all peanut paste produced since Sept. 26. The plant passed its last state inspection this summer, but recent tests have found salmonella. Health officials are focusing on 30 companies out of a total of 85 that received peanut products from the Georgia plant. Sundlof said Peanut Corp. is a relatively small supplier on the national scene. The Midwest supermaket chain Hy-Vee Inc. of West Des Moines, Iowa, said Saturday it was voluntarily recalling products made in its bakery departments with peanut butter because they had the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. The recall covered seven states: Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota. The outbreak has triggered a congressional inquiry and renewed calls for reform of food safety laws. For example, the FDA lacks authority to order a recall, and instead must ask companies to voluntarily withdraw products. “Given the numerous food-borne illness outbreaks over the past several years, it is becoming painfully clear that the current regulatory structure is antiquated and ill-equipped to handle these extensive investigations,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who chairs a panel that oversees the FDA budget. Seattle-area lawyer William Marler, who specializes in food safety cases, said the government shouldn’t wait for the results of more tests to request recalls. “At least 30 companies purchased peanut butter or paste from a facility with a documented link to a nationwide salmonella outbreak,” said Marler. “The FDA has the authority actually, the mandate to request recalls if the public health is threatened. Instead, the FDA has asked the companies to test their products and consider voluntary recalls. It is just not enough.” Health officials in Minnesota and Virginia have linked two deaths each to the outbreak and Idaho has reported one. Four of those five were elderly people, and all had salmonella when they died, although their exact causes of death have not been determined. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the salmonella may have contributed. An elderly North Carolina man died in November from the same strain of salmonella that’s causing the outbreak, officials in that state said Friday. The CDC said the bacteria behind the outbreak — typhimurium — is common and not an unusually dangerous strain but that the elderly or those with weakened immune systems are more at risk. Dear Reader: You can help us make this website even better! Please use this form to contact us for any reason at any time! We do try to answer all mail. Webmasters and Authors: We will gladly include a link back to your site or book in exchange for sharing your content. Just contact us!
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Peanut Butter RecallSunday, 18 January 2009 Now it's some Little Debbie peanut butter crackers that are being recalled because there's a chance of salmonella contamination. That's the word...
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