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Last Updated: Mar 11th, 2011 - 15:30:48 |
A Skippy peanut butter recall is underway, impacting the the �Reduced Fat Creamy� and �Reduced Fat Super Chunk� products in 16 states due to the possibility of salmonella contamination.
Unilever, Skippy�s parent company, said salmonella was identified during routine sampling in jars of the reduced-fat products with May 2012 best-if-used-by dates distributed in certain states.
Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin were all included in the voluntary recall.
The recall was issued as a pre-emptive effort, as illnesses have yet to be reported.
While there have been no known illnesses, the recall was issued for fear that some of the peanut butter now in stores had salmonella.
The recalled products are sold in 16.3-ounce plastic jars, have UPC codes of 048001006812 or 048001006782 and have best-if-used-by-dates of May 16-21, 2012, on the top, the company statement said. Those with such jars should throw them away and call Skippy at 1-800-453-3432 to get a replacement coupon, according to Unilever.
Salmonella is a bacterial infection that usually lasts four to seven days. About 40,000 cases are reported each year in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control.
Those contaminated with salmonella typically develop fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea between 12 and 72 hours after initial infection. Most people recover on their own, but salmonella in the very young, the very old, or those with weakened immune systems, can lead to severe illness and even death.
The CDC recommends that anyone suspecting illness from salmonella should talk to a doctor.
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