Peanut Butter Update

I don't know about you, but I was having peanut butter withdrawal this week! My kids were begging for it. So I looked at the FDA website and my son's favorite-Creamy Jif-still hasn't been recalled. We ate some this week and didn't get sick. I was so worried. I know they are saying just a few generic brands of jarred peanut were impacted with the salmonella recall, but it still makes me nervous! How about you? Has anyone else given into peanut butter cravings or did you never give up P.B. & J. in the first place?

King Nut Companies peanut butter in a jar is the only jar I saw listed on the FDA website. I know Meijer pulled its generic peanut butter too. Here's the link to the full list of over 1,000 recalled peanut products!

Oh-and I just have to say when the networks show video of peanut butter sandwiches and then talk about the recall, it makes it look like jars of peanut butter are recalled. Duh! It is so aggravating when that comes down on the news feeds. It makes no sense!

FROM ABC: The salmonella outbreak caused by tainted peanut butter continues to make waves countrywide. The outbreak has forced one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history-- and even President Obama has criticized the FDA over food safety. Today, salmonella victims added their voices to the call for reform.

After Shirley Mae Almer was diagnosed with cancer, she survived. But relatives say the 72 year old had no idea an afternoon snack could be just as deadly. Jeff Almer said, "lost mother to salmonella. Cancer couldn't claim her but peanut butter did."

Lawmakers are trying to put controls in place to ensure peanut butter never proves fatal again. Rep. Rosa Delauro (D) CT "The push for change could not be more urgent." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says peanut butter contaminated by a salmonella strain may have contributed to eight deaths nationwide. More than 500 people in 43 states have been sickened by the outbreak since September.

Two months after becoming extremely ill, Gabrielle Meunier's 7-year-old son , Christopher is still recovering. Gabielle Meunier said, "It was hell. He was in so much pain he wanted to die." From spinach to beef. Tomatoes to peanut butter, year after year, the list of recalls continues to grow. The latest salmonella outbreak has been tied to the Peanut Corporation of America and its Blakely, Georgia plant. A criminal investigation is now underway to determine whether the producer knowingly sold a dangerous contaminated product.

Rep. Rosa Delauro said, "It represents the full-scale breakdown of a patchwork food safety system." The new food safety reform legislation would take the responsibility for food safety out of the hands of the FDA and make it a separate division within the Department of Health and Human Services. The new agency would have more power to order food recalls and penalize culpable food distributors.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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No Peanut Butter at all now!

FROM ABC: A national recall of peanut butter is growing-- along with fears of the salmonella contamination that began it. The Federal Government is now urging us to avoid all products containing peanut butter -- as it tries to track down the tainted amounts.

She has battled cancer and seemed to be winning. But on December 21st, 72-year old Shirley Almer died suddenly at her Minnesota nursing home where her family believes she ate the contaminated peanut butter they blame for her death. Ginger Lorentz victim's daughter said, "Confused. Angry. It shouldn't have happened. It just shouldn't have happened." Almer's death is one of at least 6 that may be connected to the salmonella outbreak associated with peanut butter products and hundreds more have been sickened.

Dr. William Schaffner from Vanderbilt Medical Center: "Doing the laboratory work and then doing the study that implicating the peanut butter, that takes a lot of time and effort. it's much more difficult than it appears at first glance."

Food and Drug Administration investigators believe the contamination can be traced back to this Blakely Georgia plant.. owned by the Peanut Corporation of America, but no definitive link to the salmonella outbreak has been established and the scope of the investigation is widening-- prompting FDA officials to ask consumers to avoid eating anything that contains peanut butter.

Caroline Smith Dewaal Center for Science in the Public Interest said, "Given the size of the outbreak and severity of the illnesses, it's critically important that the government move as fast as it can to really nail down the food source." Several companies, including Little Debbie and Famous Amos, have already voluntarily recalled all of their products made with peanut butter that might be linked to the company.

Kellogg has pulled 16 different products from store shelves. Relatives of Shirley Almer recently filed a lawsuit against the Peanut Corporation of America who made the peanut butter she ate.

The Kellogg's company announced today that FDA tests have discovered salmonella in the Austin quality foods toasty crackers with peanut butter, a vending machine staple. Kellogg's had already recalled the product. Kellogg's says its disappointed and regrets the situation.

Major Bummer! We eat peanut butter toast every morning! And peanut butter and jelly sandwiches--oh-- we eat that at least three times a week!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen