Peanut Butter Recall Expanding

Friday, March 2nd 2007, 2:47 pm

By: News On 6

Federal health inspectors say they've located the strain of salmonella behind the recent peanut butter outbreak. The strain came from the ConAgra foods plant in Georgia, said the FDA. Officials believe the contamination may have been caused by dirty jars or equipment.

During their investigation the FDA discovered that the ConAgra plant sent bulk Peter Pan peanut butter to a plant in Tennessee. That has lead to a recall on several popular peanut butter topping brands, including Sonic and Reeses have been added to the recall. These brands have been recalled and are no longer being sold. However, some consumers may still have these products in their home. Consumers who have any of the products listed below should discard them.

Sonic Brand Ready-To-Use Peanut Butter Topping in 6 lb. 10.5 oz cans. Sonic outlets used the topping until 2/16/07, when the product was recalled. The topping was used in the following Sonic products: Peanut Butter Shake, Peanut Butter Fudge Shake, Peanut Butter Sundae, Peanut Butter Fudge Sundae.

Carvel Peanut Butter Topping in 6 lb. 10 oz. cans. Carvel used the topping until 2/16/07, when the product was recalled. The topping was used in the following Carvel ice cream products: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Treasure, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae Dasher, and any other customized products containing the Peanut Butter Topping, including peanut butter flavored ice cream in ice cream cakes

J. Hungerford Smith Peanut Butter Dessert Topping in 6 lb. 10 oz. cans: This topping may be used by retail and restaurant outlets throughout the United States but is not available for direct purchase by the public.

Millions of jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter were recalled last month because of possible contamination. According to the CDC, more than 300 people were sickened by the tainted peanut butter nationwide, including 10 in Oklahoma.

Several of those sickened have filed lawsuits against the company, including an Oklahoma City couple. James and Candace Fish filed a civil lawsuit against ConAgra Foods. Theyâ€™re asking for more than $500,000 in damages from the company, which they blame for their 15-year-old son's illness.

Jesse Fish was hospitalized in August then again in September after getting sick. The Oklahoma City-County Health Department confirmed on August 16th that Jesse Fish had contracted salmonella, according to court papers.

Peanut butter in the Fish household tested positive for salmonella after the February recall notice, said officials.

For more information on the expanded recall, logon to www.fda.gov.