Some peanut and almond butters sold at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other grocers are being recalled because of possible salmonella contamination.
A unit of Hain Celestial Group Inc. said that there have been reports of four illnesses possibly related to some peanut and almond butters, which have been recalled because of possible salmonella contamination. They were sold under the brand names Arrowhead Mills peanut butters and MaraNatha almond butters and peanut butters.
Also being recalled were some lots of private label almond butter from grocers Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Kroger and Safeway. A total of 45 production lots are affected.
These products were sold in the U.S., Canada, the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
The Lake Success, New York, company said it learned about the contamination risk after routine U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) routine testing. The FDA said it did not know how many jars of nut butters had been recalled. The company would not comment.
In recent years, there have been major salmonella outbreaks, some of which included infected peanuts that sickened more than 700 people in 2008 and 2009. We also posted on our blog about Foster Farms chicken that was linked to a strain of salmonella, which resulted in the sickening of more than 500 people over the past year and a half.
Typical symptoms of salmonella infection are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Symptoms usually present within one to three days after exposure to the bacterium and can last up to one week. In severe cases, hospitalization is necessary. Health officials say the risk of infection is higher in young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
If you have any of these recalled nut butters in your home, return them to place of purchase for a refund or throw away.
For more information, feel free to contact one of our Gacovino Lake attorneys at 1-800-246-HURT (4878).
