Food Poison Journal - Food poisoning outbreaks and litigation: surveillance and analysis

The Oklahoma State Department of Health is joining other state and federal agencies in warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter, due to risk of contamination with Salmonella Tennessee, a bacterium that causes foodborne illness.

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." Consumers should discard any Peter Pan or Great Value jars with this product code if the peanut butter was purchased since May 2006.

This warning follows an ongoing study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments that so far has linked 288 cases of foodborne illness in 39 states to consumption of this code of peanut butter. The outbreak began in August 2006. In Oklahoma, 11 cases matching the outbreak strain have been identified. None were hospitalized due to their illness.

The outbreak, which started last August and has since sickened close to 300 people, has been linked to a ConAgra plant in Sylvester, Ga. Any jar that includes the code "2111" was made at that plant and should be discarded or returned to the store where it was purchased. Giant stores and Wal-Mart confirm they are giving full refunds.

Virginia is one of five states reporting the most cases. As of Feb. 15, the Virginia Department of Health had identified 17 cases - males and females, ages 10 months to 66 years. No deaths have been reported in Virginia or elsewhere, and no cases have been reported in Northern Virginia.

Dr. David Goodfriend, Loudoun's health director, said most people get over the disease, which causes severe diarrhea, fever and dehydration, in a week or less.

Here is an update from the FDA site about the peanut butter salmonella outbreak.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 290 people from 39 states who have gotten sick from Salmonella Tennessee, the Salmonella type associated with this outbreak. Forty six (46) patients are known to have been hospitalized and there have been no reported deaths.

The 39 states with reported illness are: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia."

If you believe you are part of the Salmonella outbreak that was traced to Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter, here are a few suggestions:

1. If you or a family member are still sick, please seek medical treatment.

2. If you do seek medical treatment, please ask that a stool culture be done to try and confirm that you have been sickened by salmonella. A stool culture is the only way to confirm that you have been sickened by the Salmonella bacteria. The lack of a positive stool culture, however, will not preclude a claim. We expect that a majority of claimants will not have a positive stool culture.

3. You should contact you local health department about your concerns and to relate information about your family members’ illnesses. Please make note of your peanut butter label, the brand, and the product code found on the lid—“2111” is the implicated product. Also note when and where you purchased it. This information will help the health department’s investigation.

4. If you have any left over peanut butter, please put the entire jar in a plastic bag and place it in a cool spot. Do not return the lid to ConAgra as we will need it to prove your claim. Please let your local health department know that you have it. They may offer to test it. If not, we will arrange to have it tested.

5. If any family member is currently sick, please be sure to attend to careful hygiene. Frequent hand washing can help reduce the risk of spreading infection among family members.

Marler Clark is investigating potential Salmonella claims on behalf of 150 families who have contacted us in regards to the Salmonella outbreak that was traced to contaminated peanut butter (see the Salmonella blog for more information about hte outbreak.

What  to do if you became ill with Salmonella food poisoning after eating peanut butter:

1. If you or a family member are still sick, please seek medical treatment.

2. If you do seek medical treatment, please ask that a stool and urine culture be done to try and confirm that you have been sickened by salmonella. A positive culture is the only way to confirm that you have been sickened by the Salmonella bacteria.

3. You should contact you local health department about your concerns and to relate information about your family members’ illnesses. Please make note of your peanut butter label, the brand, and the product code found on the lid—“2111” is the implicated product. Also note when and where you purchased it. This information will help the health department’s investigation.

4. If you have any left over peanut butter, please put the entire jar in a plastic bag and place it in a cool spot. Please let your local health department know that you have it. They may offer to test it. If not, we will arrange to have it tested.

5. If any family member is currently sick, please be sure to attend to careful hygiene. Frequent hand washing can help reduce the risk of spreading infection among family members.

From a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recall notification:

ConAgra Foods, Inc., a Milton, Pa., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 402,623 pounds of pasta and meatball meals due to possible underprocessing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following product is subject to recall:

* 36.6-ounce cartons of "Banquet, Homestyle Bakes, Pasta & Meatballs in Marinara Sauce, Marinara Sauce with Meat, Penne Pasta & Grated Cheese, MEATBALLS INCLUDED." Each carton contains one can of marinara sauce and meatballs, one pouch of penne pasta and one pouch of grated cheese. Each carton bears the UPC code "5010040737" and a "Best-by" date of "JAN 25 2008," "DEC 13 2007," "NOV 13 2007" or "OCT 19 2007." Each can of marinara sauce and meatballs bears the establishment number, "EST. 794" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The pasta and meatball meals were produced on various dates between October 19, 2006, and January 25, 2007 and were shipped to retail establishments nationwide.