The Jif peanut butter Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak is the number five outbreak of 2022, with at least 21 people sick in 17 states. Four people were hospitalized because they were so ill. Several types of Jif peanut butter were recalled after the outbreak was first announced on May 21, 2022. The outbreak ended on July 27, 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The case count by state is: Arizona (1), Arkansas (1), Florida (1), Georgia (2), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (2), New York (1), North Carolina (2), Ohio (1), South Carolina (1), Texas (2), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and West Virginia (1). Patients ranged in age from less than one year to 85. The hospitalization rate was 31%, with four out of 13 people interviewed being hospitalized, which is quite high for a Salmonella outbreak. Illness onset dates ranged from February 20, 2022 through May 24, 2022.
All the patients who were interviewed by public health officials said they ate peanut butter during the week before they got sick. And all of them said that they ate Jif peanut butter. Patient isolates were closely related, as proven by whole genome sequencing, which means that they all likely got sick from eating the same product.
An environmental sample was taken at the J.M. Smucker Company facility in 2010; whole genome sequencing also showed that sample was closely related to the outbreak strain.
Since peanut butter has such a long shelf life, check to see if you have any of the recalled products in your pantry. The lot codes range from 1274425 to 2140425. If you do, throw them away, then clean your pantry and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
If you ate any recalled peanut butter and have been ill with the symptoms of Salmonella, see your doctor. Even after complete recovery, some people can develop serious complications that can range from irritable bowel syndrome and high blood pressure to endocarditis.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
