Personal Injury Law

The Culprit to the Salmonella Outbreak--Peanut Corporation of America?

By Jessica Smagacz

Today the Washington Post released an article reporting that an Ohio peanut butter distributor issued a voluntary recall for two brands of peanut butter. This recall was announced after Minnesota health officials found salmonella bacteria in a tub of peanut butter that is given to schools and hospitals to distribute.

Washington Post writer, Steven Reinberg says, “The recall, and the Minnesota report, could be the breakthrough in the search for the source of a salmonella outbreak that has struck in 42 states so far.”

King Nut Companies of Solon, Ohio issued the recall of all peanut butter that is distributed under its label and manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America.

Peanut Corporation of America is based in Georgia, Texas, and Virginia. See our past post on Georgia part of the National Salmonella OUTBREAK. This discovery is possibly the culprit of the salmonella outbreak, especially in Georgia since Peanut Corporation of America is based in Georgia!

The company “said it took the action after salmonella was found in an open five-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter.” Interestingly enough, this recall comes after two years ago when ConAgra issued a recall on Peter Pan brand peanut butter (linked to around 625 salmonella case in 47 states).

There are 2,500 types of salmonella bacteria present in the United States. The salmonella found in the peanut butter is Salmonella Typhimurium, which is the most common of the salmonella bacteria.

The outbreak is continuing and as we said in our past post, it is affecting Georgia. The reports coming in of people who have salmonella poisoning occurred between September 3 and December 29, 2008. Dr. Rajal Mody, a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer said, “Salmonella is typically transmitted through foods that are contaminated with animal feces.”

Most reported cases of salmonella occur in children, but with the current outbreak, ages of victims ranged from less than one year old to 103 years old.

The common symptoms of salmonella poisoning include fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea—all of these symptoms can last from 12 up to 72 hours after coming into contact with this germ.

People can contract serious infections from salmonella, especially infants, elderly, and people with a weaker immune system.

Salmonella poisoning can lead to serious sickness and even death.

Look over salmonella symptoms, especially if you have eaten peanut butter because it could have been peanut butter from the Peanut Corporation of America based in Georgia.

If you or someone close to you has salmonella poisoning, you may want to contact the attorneys at Childers & Schlueter, LLP to see how they can help protect your legal rights.

Full post as published by Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer on January 10, 2009 (boomark / email).