The Salmonella outbreak linked to Jem brand nut butters has ended after sickening 13 people in 10 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A recall was issued for the products which were linked to illnesses from July 2015 to November 2015.
Because these products have long shelf lives, the CDC encourages consumers to check recall information. If you have any of these recalled products in your home, throw them away; do not use them.
The CDC worked with state health officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) infections. The unusually named strain, which used to be known as Salmonella Java, does not cause paratyphoid fever, enteric fever, or typhoid fever.
But it does cause illness. Symptoms of a Salmonella infection usually appear with six to 72 hours of exposure and last about a week. They include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramps.
By state, the case count in this outbreak was as follows: California (1), Colorado (1), Georgia (1), Hawaii (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Maine (1), New Jersey (1), North Carolina (1), and Oregon (4). Sixty-two percent all case patients, who ranged in age from less than 1 year to 79, were male. None of the patients were hospitalized. No deaths were reported in this outbreak .
During their investigation, health officials collected epidemiologic evidence indicating that JEM Raw brand sprouted nut butter spreads were the likely source of the outbreak. Ten of the case patients interviewed reported exposure to a nut butter or nut butter spread in the week before becoming ill. Eight of them specifically named JEM Raw brand sprouted nut butter spread.
Jem recalled its entire line of sprouted nut butter spreads on December 2, 2015. The recalled nut butter spreads, sold in glass jars in sizes ranging from 1.25 ounces to 16 ounces, had been distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail order. Consumers who still have these products should throw them away.
If you ate any of these recalled products and have experienced symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning, see your doctor. Long term consequences of this infection can be serious, including reactive arthritis and high blood pressure.
