Peanut Butter Bars Related to Salmonella Outbreak are Recalled

ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars

There is a massive salmonella outbreak involving peanut butter products and peanut butter paste that has now climbed to 486 people affected. Jars of peanut butter are safe, but check the list if you eat peanut butter bars.

January 22, 2009

The number of people sickened in the salmonella outbreak involving peanut butter products has now climbed to 486 in 43 states and Canada, with possibly six deaths, U.S. health officials said Wednesday afternoon.

Federal officials also confirmed Wednesday what they had first reported Sunday -- that the outbreak had been traced to a plant in Blakely, Ga., owned by Peanut Corp. of America. The company has suspended operations at the plant.

Meanwhile, peanut butter products continued to disappear from store shelves, as the weight loss company NutriSystem and one pet food producer joined the growing list of grocery chains and specialty companies issuing precautionary recalls.

The flood of recalls followed a U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning over the weekend that consumers should avoid peanut butter products containing peanut butter or peanut butter paste while the widespread salmonella outbreak probe continued.

The U.S. health warning is focused on products made with peanut butter or peanut paste, like crackers or cookies or ice cream.

Jars of peanut butter on store shelves appear to be safe, the agency said.

The following is a list of the latest protein bars that have been recalled:

• NutriSystem Inc. - Peanut Butter Granola Bar (web site sales only). 
• Premier Nutrition - Twisted and Titan brand nutrition bars with peanut butter
• Nature’s Path Organic Foods - peanut butter-flavored Optimum Energy Bars.
• General Mills - Lara Bars and JamFrakas made with peanut butter.
• Clif Bar  - Clif Bar, Clif Builders, Clif Kids, Mojo, and Luna bars made with peanut butter.
• Abbott Nutrition - ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars, ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee bars and NutriPals Peanut Butter Chocolate nutrition bars.

Source:  Washington Post