Photo courtesy: ABC NewsWASHINGTON (AP) - The grocery store chain
Trader Joe's is recalling peanut butter that has been linked to 29
salmonella illnesses in 18 states.
The Food and Drug
Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control said Saturday
that the store's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter, which is sold
nationwide, is the likely source of the outbreak. The agencies are
investigating whether any other items sold at the store could be
contaminated.
More than three-fourths of those who became ill were children under the age of 18. No deaths have been reported.
The FDA issued a statement
Saturday saying that the FDA, the CDC and the state of California
briefed Trader Joe's on its investigation showing the link between the
peanut butter and the illnesses on Sept. 20. The company then agreed to
remove the product from store shelves.
The government did not
release which states had reported illnesses, but several states have
issued warnings to residents not to eat the peanut butter. According to
the individual states' health departments, three cases were in
Massachusetts, one was in Rhode Island and one was in North Carolina.
The CDC said people became
sick between June 11 and Sept. 2. Information may not be available for
those who were sickened after August.
Salmonella can cause
diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. It
is most dangerous to children, the elderly and others with weak immune
systems.
