Peanut Butter Tests Positive for Salmonella, Lawsuits Mount

Last week, the USDA warned consumers against Con Agra peanut butter (brand names Peter Pan and Great Value) with jar label beginning with numbers "2111." More than 329 people in 41 states have gotten sick, reportedly due to peanut butter consumption (http://desmoinesregister.com). Labs in New York, Iowa and Oklahoma confirm peanut butter contamination.

According to the spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Health, at least one jar among seven peanut butter jars from 11 cases confirmed by the state was tainted with Salmonella (http://desmoinesregister.com). The University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory released a report Thursday providing DNA proof of a link between contamination cases to the Great Value brand, the university reported. "The isolation of salmonella from the open jar of peanut butter is extremely useful to the epidemiologists in their investigation of this outbreak," said Mike Pentella, interim associate director of infectious disease programs at the U of I lab (http://desmoinesregister.com). The New York Health Department reported on their website, "Laboratory Confirmed Results on Peanut Butter - The NYS Department of Health today confirmed through Wadsworth Center Laboratories that a peanut butter sample containing Salmonella Tennessee matches one of the Salmonella strains seen in the national outbreak" (www.foodconsumer.org).

Meanwhile, possible lawsuits are mounting. Over 2,200 families have expressed interest in seeking legal action against responsible company Con Agra (www.foodconsumer.org). As reported earlier, the first official law suit was filed by a Missouri couple on February 16th. A Texas couple also filed a law suit after their 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son reportedly became sick after eating peanut butter made by the company. The lawsuit seeks $75,000 damages for each child, the family lawyer was cited as saying (www.foodconsumer.org).

With this latest development proving that Con Agra peanut butter was indeed contaminated with Salmonella, more law suits are on the way. No confirmed deaths as of yet, but with a few cases currently being tested, the company may be in ever deeper water (www.foodconsumer.org).