(September 25, 2012) -- One person in Minnesota is part of an ongoing multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney infections associated with Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt, state health officials said today.
The Minnesota resident reported eating Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter during the week prior to becoming ill in late July, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The case is an adult from the Twin Cities metro area who was hospitalized for this illness and recovered. MDH is collaborating with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), other state health departments and federal agencies in the continuing investigation.
To date, a total of 29 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney have been reported in 18 states. Four people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is coordinating the ongoing multistate investigation with affected states and the Food and Drug Administration, including determining if additional products may be contaminated, and if the problem is limited to a single or multiple production dates. CDC’s website will be updated as information becomes available: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bredeney-09-12/index.html.
Trader Joe’s has issued a voluntary recall of the implicated product. That notice can be found at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm320579.htm. The peanut butter manufacturer has also issued a recall. More information is at http://www.sunlandinc.com/788/html/pdfs/SunlandRecall.pdf. MDH and MDA officials urged consumers to not eat Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt that they may have in their homes or any of the products recalled by Sunland, Inc.
Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. Anyone who believes they may have become ill with Salmonella should contact their health care provider.
Approximately 575 to 700 cases of salmonellosis are reported each year in Minnesota. More information on Salmonella and how to prevent it can be found on the MDH website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/salmonellosis/index.html.
