The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have updated their investigation into the Salmonella Bredeney outbreak linked to Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter produced by Sunland Inc. Now 41 people are ill in 20 states. Ten people have been hospitalized. There have been no deaths. The three new cases are from New York, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Attorney Fred Pritzker, who has been contacted by possible victims in this outbreak, said, “Sunland and Trader Joe’s are responsible for this outbreak. Anyone who has been sickened in this outbreak should see their healthcare provider for care.”
Sixty-three percent of patients are children under the age of 10. A huge number of products have been recalled relating to this contamination. You can see the entire list of recalled products at the FDA site. If you have purchased these products, do not eat them. Discard or return to the place of purchase for a refund.
Illness onset dates range from June 14, 2012 to September 21, 2012. Patients range in age from less than 1 year to 79 years, with a median age of six years. Illnesses that have occurred after October 5, 2012 may not yet be reported. The number of new cases has declined since the outbreak peak in August, but illnesses are still being reported since many of these products have a long shelf life. This outbreak could continue for several more months.
Testing done by government officials have isolated the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney from opened jars of Trader Joe’s peanut butter collected from case-patients’ homes. And Salmonella has been found in environmental samples taken from the Sunland plant in New Mexico and in raw peanuts at that facility.
