Trader Joe's has pulled its Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter (sku 97111) made with sea salt from the shelves after a Food and Drug Administration investigation linked it to food-borne illness in 18 states.
The FDA is looking into whether the peanut butter is responsible for an outbreak of salmonella bredeney infection dating back to June that sickened 29 people, including three in Massachusetts and one each in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and New York.
On September 20, the FDA, the CDC and the state of California briefed Trader Joe’s on the status of the investigation, and the company agreed to remove the suspected product from their store shelves.
There have so far been no cases reported in California.
Trader Joe's said in a statement on the company's website that it was recalling the product "out of an abundance of caution."
Peanut butter samples are being tested at various state labs. Anyone who in recent months consumed this product and then became ill with diarrhea or vomiting should consult their health care provider.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps six to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts two to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some cases, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient requires hospitalization. Older adults, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to become severely ill from salmonella infection.
