ATLANTA, Feb. 15, 2007
Salmonella Spread By Peanut Butter
Officials Say Outbreak Causing Nearly 300 Infections In 39 States Traced To Georgia Plant
-
Play CBS Video Video Peanut Butter Poisoning Two brands of peanut butter are being pulled off the shelves after an unprecedented salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 300 people. Mark Strassmann reports.
-
Video Is Food Safety Compromised? Several bouts of contaminated vegetables made many people sick last year .Wyatt Andrews looks at the bureaucracy that has mired our food safety and calls to Congress demanding reform.
-
Video A Safe, Clean Food Supply The recent E. coli outbreaks linked to California produce have led to tighter harvesting measures, but some critics say these efforts aren't enough. John Blackstone reports from the Salinas Valley.
-
Interactive HealthWatch Explore health issues including AIDS, cancer and antibiotics.
-
Video Archive Eye On Health CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook examines various health issues and treatments.
-
Fast Facts E. coli Learn more about a dangerous strain of a common bacteria.
It is believed to be the first salmonella outbreak associated with peanut butter in U.S. history, said officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 20 percent of the 288 infected people have been hospitalized, but none has died, said Dr. Mike Lynch, a CDC epidemiologist.
About 85 percent of the infected people said they ate peanut butter, CDC officials said.
How salmonella got into peanut butter is still under investigation, Lynch said.
The brands pulled from the shelves are Peter Pan and Wal-Mart's Great Value peanut butter — both made by ConAgra — if the jar's product code began with serial number 2111, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann. Health inspectors traced the problem to a peanut butter factory in southern Georgia that has since been closed.
Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
ConAgra said it is recalling all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111.
"Although none of our extensive product tests have indicated the presence of salmonella, we are taking this precautionary measure because consumer health and safety is out top priority," spokesman Chris Kircher said. "We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed to ensure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products."CBS News Poll On Food Safety
The largest number of salmonella cases were reported in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.
Salmonella infection is known each year to sicken about 40,000 people in the United States, according to the CDC. Salmonellosis, as the infection is known, kills about 600 people annually.
Symptoms of salmonella can include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting.
The salmonella scare comes on the heels of two nationwide outbreaks last fall of the E. coli bacteria, linked to produce.
The new outbreak began in August, but just two or fewer cases have been reported each day, CDC officials said.
It was only in the past few days that investigators were able to hone in on a particular food, Lynch said.
ConAgra is destroying all affected products the company still has, the FDA said.
The company will cease production until the exact cause of contamination can be identified and eliminated. Meanwhile, ConAgra advised consumers to destroy any Peter Pan and Great Value brand peanut butter beginning with product code 2111.
The FDA sent investigators to ConAgra's processing plant in Sylvester where the products were made to review records, collect product samples and conduct tests for salmonella.
A recent CBS News poll found that only 15 percent of Americans have a great deal of confidence in the government's ability to protect from food-borne illness.
CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports (read more) that some lawmakers and food regulation experts believe the American food supply is risk-prone due to poor coordination among federal agencies.
"There's no one in charge in the federal food safety system," Mike Taylor, a former USDA and FDA food safety official told Andrews.
Taylor says most food safety money — 80 percent — goes to the USDA, which visually inspects meat in slaughterhouses, while millions of Americans actually get sick from the invisible germs in produce.
During the past 10 years, Congress has been warned again and again that the food safety system is an organizational mess that does not fully protect consumers, reports Andrews.
But the spinach outbreak last year led to new calls for reform. One idea: Create a single food agency to finally put someone in charge.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, says he thinks a single food agency would have traced the last outbreak more quickly. He says under one agency, money could be focused on disease prevention.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More From Health
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 6
- next
See all 119 CommentsThese CAFO's are permitted by our Department of Agriculture and through our experience thus far we have found that the safety of communities are not in high regard. Go to NOCAFOS.org and look at the problems they are having in Michigan. In my opinion I can't help but wonder if perhaps the produce problem we are having isn't connected in some way by these factory farming methods.
CBS News would do the public a huge service if they would continue their investigative reporting of food safety and look into these corporate farms and how they manage the raw manure.
salmonella is caused by bacteria in fecal matter getting into your food or peanut butter in this case...maybe they're using the same cow *** to fertilize peanut crops that they used in california and the "tainted" lettuce...or maybe some mexicans are mad and poo pooed in our peanut butter...
either way, throw it out or take it back to your store for an exchange of another bran...i have eaten peter pan for 37 yrs, i remember munching on peanut butter and jelly crackers while watching winnie the pooh on the boobtube...ahhh the memories!
btw, thanks cbs for showing terrorists just how easy it would be to kill us through our food supply! THANKS!
GET OVER IT !!! thanks. =]
GET OVER IT !!! thanks. =]
GET OVER IT !!! thanks. =]
Posted by bildooreilly
Trouble is THEY don't pay, their product liability INSURANCE companies pay, that means YOU pay in the end when your car, home and medical insurance premiums all go up
What is wrong with all of these people who right away think they can squeeze some money out of a company for a couple boughts of vomitting and diarrhea? Oh, I know they must of done this on purpose right?
Posted by jenlef1979
In a way YES, they did- to max their profits these maga corps cut corners, overlook a plethora of safety, health and OSHA violations, they hire immigrants and people with little skills and who don't give a *** about anything other than their paycheck. Food falls on the floor at the plant? who cares? toss it back up on the conveyor. Last day at the plant and hate the company? hey, toss your last meal or whatever into the vat when no one is looking.
Only way to make these companies care is threaten their livelyhood.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 6
- next
See all 119 Comments