Peanut Butter And Almond Butter Recalled For Salmonella Risk

A unit of Hain Celestial Group Inc. has recalled some peanut and almond butter brands because of possible salmonella contamination.

Reports of four illnesses have been found to be related to nut the butters, the company said. 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 nut butter brands were sold in countries such as Canada, the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates as well as the U.S.

It was during a routine U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test that the company had learned of the contamination risk.

The FDA said it did not know how many jars of nut butters were recalled and the company did not comment.

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain are the most common symptoms of salmonella infection. These symptoms are seen within one to three days of exposure to the bacterium and may last for up to a week. Health officials warn the risk of infection is particularly high for children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems; however anyone can become ill from exposure to salmonella.

There have been several major salmonella outbreaks in recent years, including infected peanuts that sickened more than 700 people in 2008 and 2009 and Foster Farms chicken that is linked to a strain of salmonella that has made more than 500 people sick over the last year and a half.

List of recalled nut butters that were sold in glass and plastic jars that include their "best by" dates:

• Arrowhead Mills organic crunchy and creamy peanut butter, 16 oz.
• MaraNatha roasted creamy and crunchy almond butters in regular and organic varieties, 16 oz.
• MaraNatha raw almond butter, 16 oz.
• MaraNatha organic creamy and crunchy peanut butter, 16 oz.
• MaraNatha no-stir creamy and crunchy peanut butter with salt, regular and organic, 16 oz.
• MaraNatha organic creamy almond butter, 8 oz.
• MaraNatha roasted creamy almond butter and organic crunchy and creamy peanut butter with salt, 26 oz.
• MaraNatha no-stir creamy and crunchy almond butter, 12 oz.
• MaraNatha organic no-stir creamy and crunchy peanut butter with salt, 16 oz.
• MaraNatha organic no-stir creamy and crunchy almond butter; MaraNatha creamy maple almond butter, 12 oz.
• Trader Joe's crunchy and creamy almond butter, 16 oz.
• Whole Foods 365 creamy, crunchy and organic creamy roasted almond butter, 16 oz.
• Kroger no-stir creamy almond butter, 12 oz.
• Safeway open nature almond butter, 12 oz.

Source: Medindia