Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Agriculture

News Release

January 9, 2009

Contact information

Agriculture, Health officials issue product advisory for King Nut peanut butter
Product contaminated with Salmonella bacteria was shipped to institutions in Minnesota

Officials from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today issued a product advisory after MDA’s preliminary laboratory testing indicated the presence of Salmonella bacteria in a 5-pound container of King Nut brand creamy peanut butter.

The product is distributed in Minnesota to establishments such as long-term care facilities, hospitals, schools, universities, restaurants, delis, cafeterias and bakeries. At this time, the product is not known to be distributed for retail sale in grocery stores. State officials are urging establishments who may have the product on hand to avoid serving it, pending further instructions as the investigation progresses.

Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can result in abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and fever. Anyone who believes they may have become ill as a result of eating this product or foods made with this product should contact their health care provider.

State officials discovered the contamination as a result of product testing initiated after an MDH epidemiological investigation implicated King Nut creamy peanut butter as a likely source of Salmonella infections in Minnesota residents. The Minnesota cases have the same genetic fingerprint as the cases in the national outbreak that has sickened almost 400 people in 42 states; however, laboratory results for the product sample have not yet been linked to this national outbreak. Additional laboratory results are expected early next week.

State officials are coordinating their investigation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other states. More information about the investigation – including laboratory results will be available early next week.

-MDH-

For more information, contact:

Doug Schultz
MDH Communications
612-250-2236

Michael Schommer
MDA Communications
651-260-2956

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