A Salmonella outbreak linked to JEM brand nut butters has sickened 11 people in nine states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Illnesses associated with this outbreak, which was announced by the agency today, were reported from June through October. Three of the cases are in Oregon. California,  Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, North Carolina and New Jersey have each reported one case. The outbreak strain, Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+), was formerly known as Salmonella Java. Like other Salmonella strains, it causes symptoms including diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps which usually set in six to 72 hours after exposure and last about a week. Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) does not cause paratyphoid fever, … [Read more...]