The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter manufactured by ConAgra because of the risk of contamination with Salmonella.
The affected jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter have a product code located on the lid of the jar that begins with the number "2111." Both the Peter Pan and Great Value brands are manufactured in a single facility in Georgia by ConAgra, and the FDA said Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected.
The FDA's warning is based on a just-completed epidemiological study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the states and local health agencies, which links 288 cases of foodborne illness in 39 states to consumption of varying types of Peter Pan peanut butter.
As a result of extensive epidemiological testing and recent case control studies, CDC was recently able to identify Peter Pan peanut butter as the likely cause of illness. Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 is manufactured in the same plant as Peter Pan peanut butter and, thus, is believed to be at similar risk of contamination.
ConAgra is recalling all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111 that already was distributed. The company also is destroying all affected products in their possession. The company will cease production until the exact cause of contamination can be identified and eliminated.
