The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 2/19/07 Section: News

Sandra Wyrck, executive director of the Onslow Community Ministries soup kitchen sorts through some of the estimated 600 jars of peanut butter that need to be discarded after a manufacturers recall over concerns about salmonella contamination, Friday, Feb. 16, 2007, in Jacksonville, N.C. (AP Photo, Jacksonville Daily News, Chuck Beckley)

U.S. health officials have ordered the recall of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter after nearly 300 people may have contracted Salmonella poisoning from the spread.

Ten of the confirmed cases are from Colorado, and all assumed poisonings have come from peanut butter jars labeled with a product code "2111" on lid tops. Thirty-nine states have been affected by the outbreak.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is warning shoppers not to buy either brand of peanut butter and to dispose of any contaminated spread currently in cabinets.

Kim Meyer-Lee, regional epidemiologist with the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, said there are no confirmed cases of the outbreak in Larimer County but the agency is fielding calls from concerned consumers.

So far there has been only one complaint that contaminated jars are not being tossed. Meyer-Lee said she took a call Thursday from a concerned mother who said her child might have ingested tainted peanut butter at day care.

Some consumers who think they may be ill from the outbreak are instructed to keep the suspect peanut butter for later testing.

Great Value is sold by Wal-Mart but produced and processed by Peter Pan's ConAgra plant in Georgia. The company has voluntarily stopped the production and sale of the peanut butter until further investigation.

Similar day care complaints are reaching the state health department, said Lori Maldonado, CDPHE spokeswomen.

"For the most part, grocers are good about following protocol," said Lori Maldonado, CDPHE spokeswoman.

Salmonella cases have been found in Arapahoe, Broomfield, El Paso, Denver, Freemont, La Plata and Weld counties. Maldonado expects more Colorado instances to be reported in the weeks to come.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools