Peanut butter products remain a health concern across nation, in Oklahoma Disease: Two in state diagnosed with the salmonella outbreak strain

-NewsOK

02/10/2009- The hits keep coming for a Georgia peanut company at the center of a salmonella outbreak, but Oklahoma remains relatively unscathed.

Only two Oklahomans have been diagnosed with the outbreak strain, although health officials said new cases of salmonella still are being identified because of the time it takes the illness to manifest symptoms.

Laurence Burnsed, the director of the state Health Department’s communicable disease division, urged residents to check the list of recalled products before eating anything made with peanut butter.

Peanut Corporation of America, the company identified as the source of the salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 600 people in 43 states, distributed potentially tainted peanut products to companies that put out hundreds of different foods. Eight people have died since the outbreak was first reported in September.

The resulting recalls do not affect major brands of jarred peanut butter available in stores, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the list includes nearly 1,800 products ranging from peanut butter crackers and granola bars to candy and pet treats.

Braum’s pulls product

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials were not able to whittle the list down to products available in Oklahoma, but at least one state company opted to pull some of its products last week.

Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Stores yanked its Peanut Butter Pretzel ice cream on Feb. 2 after learning one of its suppliers may have received tainted peanuts.

Marketing director Terry Holden said the move was a precautionary one because there have not been any reports of people getting sick after eating the ice cream, one of Braum’s 106 flavors.

"We want to be safe,” Holden said.

Other Braum’s ice creams with peanut butter flavor were not part of the voluntary recall, he said.

The Braum’s move was part of an expanded recall that began Jan. 28, when Peanut Corp. officials recalled all products processed at its Blakely, Ga., plant since Jan. 1, 2007.

Tressa Madden, director of the state Health Department’s consumer protection division, said there is no way to narrow the recall list for Oklahoma residents because people may have picked up tainted peanut butter products while traveling.

Stores are compliant

Madden’s staff has worked with the FDA’s recall coordinator in Dallas to ensure at-risk products are taken off store shelves as directed in one of the largest product recalls in U.S. history.

"So far our compliance checks have been 100 percent successful,” she said.

If you or someone you love were diagnosed with Salmonella poisoning after eating peanut butter made by Peanut Corp. of America, or any product made with ingredients supplied by this company, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the peanut butter lawyers of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today for a nationwide free legal consultation. Our experienced peanut butter recall attorneys can answer any questions you may have about the peanut butter Salmonella recall, King Nut recall, Peanut Corporation of America recall, and potential peanut butter recall lawsuits. Call toll free or fill out our free online case evaluation form on this page.