Several Jif Peanut Butter Products Recalled Due to Salmonella Concerns
J.M. Smucker Co. has issued a voluntary recall of 49 Jif peanut butter products due to potential salmonella contamination.
Currently, 14 people have reported illnesses across 12 states, with two hospitalizations and no reported deaths.
Consumers are encouraged to check their peanut butter products and dispose of any that may be contaminated.
It’s time to check your pantry: Jif peanut butter products are being recalled over salmonella concerns. J.M. Smucker Co. issued the voluntary recall on Friday, May 20, impacting several of their Jif peanut butter products sold in the United States, according to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) release. The recall is due to potential salmonella contamination and has been linked to a Lexington, Kentucky manufacturing facility.
The recall affects 49 of Jif’s most popular peanut butter products including varying sizes of their creamy and crunchy peanut butter, twin packs, natural peanut butter, to-go cases of peanut butter, squeezable pouches of peanut butter, no added sugar peanut butter, and more.
The impacted peanut butter was sold nationwide in retail stores with lot codes 1274425-2140425. The lot code can be found on the packaging next to the best-if-used-by date and should include the numbers 425 for the fifth to seventh digits. For a full list of recalled peanut butter products and their UPC number, you can visit the FDA’s website.
If you are concerned about a product you have that may be impacted by the recall, the FDA encourages you to dispose of it immediately.
As of today, there are a total of 14 reported illnesses and two hospitalizations due to consuming the impacted peanut butter. No deaths have been reported. Salmonella infections due to Jif peanut butter have been found in 12 states including Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri Ohio, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, according to the FDA.
Data from the FDA states the first person to be infected by this salmonella outbreak reported symptoms on February 20, and the government agency estimates the actual amount of people infected by this is much higher.
What is salmonella?
Salmonella is a food-borne illness caused by an organism. When ingested it can cause serious gastrointestinal symptoms and can be quite dangerous in young children, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems, according to the press release. On rare occasions, organisms can get into the bloodstream and cause more severe illnesses, such as arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis.
Most people infected with salmonella will begin to experience symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection, lasting four to seven days. Typical symptoms of salmonella in otherwise healthy people include:
Fever
Diarrhea, sometimes bloody
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Salmonella is spread through food handlers not washing their hands, the surfaces and tools used to prepare foods, or when people eat raw or uncooked foods, according to the FDA. It can also spread through petting an infected animal, scooping their poop and touching your mouth or food, or eating dairy or meat from an infected animal. It is estimated that 450 people in the United States die every year from salmonellosis.
This recall comes after recent salmonella-related recalls of Ferrero Kinder Chocolates, Abbott baby formula, and a mysterious salmonella outbreak in September potentially linked to red onion.
Again, if you are concerned you have a product that may be impacted by the recall, the FDA encourages you to dispose of it immediately. If you have questions or would like to report a reaction to the products, you can contact Jif at 800-828-9980 or on their website.
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