The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that the multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney linked to Sunland's Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter appears to be over. The last illness was reported on September 21, 2012. A total of 42 people from 20 states were infected with the outbreak strain of the bacteria. Sixty-one percent of ill persons were children under the age of four. Ten people were hospitalized in this outbreak. Attorney Fred Pritzker, who has been contacted by some victims of this outbreak, stresses that these illnesses were completely preventable and solely the responsibility of Sunland and its distributors. "Peanut butter is easily contaminated with Salmonella and other bacteria. The facilities that produce it and those who distribute it … [Read more...]
Sunland Says Shutdown After Salmonella Outbreak Unexpected
Sunland Inc., the peanut butter maker at the heart of a massive recall and Salmonella outbreak, says its shutdown by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this week was "unexpected" and that it hopes to resume operations soon. Under its first use of authority granted by the Food Safety Modernization Act, the agency on Monday suspended the company’s food facility registration, prohibiting it from doing business. The suspension follows an outbreak linked to peanut butter produced at the company's plant in Portales, NM that has sickened at least 41 people in 20 sates, a massive recall involving more than 250 products- including peanut buter that was used to make sandwiches served to children through the National School Lunch Program; and five-year history of food safety … [Read more...]
After Salmonella Outbreak, FDA Halts Sunland’s Operations
Citing its link to a 20-state Salmonella outbreak and its history of food safety violations, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered peanut butter maker Sunland Inc. to suspend operations. The agency suspended the company's food facility registration, which prohibits it from doing business, today. It was the FDA’s first use of its registration suspension authority as outlined by the Food Safety Modernization Act. Under the provision, the agency has the authority to take this action when food manufactured, processed, packed, received, or held by a facility has a reasonable probability of causing serious illness or death. Documents recently released by the FDA, show that Sunland products tested positive for Salmonella 11 times between June 2009 and September 2012. In a … [Read more...]
Sunland Peanut Butter Recall Reaches Europe
The Sunland peanut butter recall has reached Europe. Months after the recall due to Salmonella contamination was announced in the US, European health officials are warning residents about the dangers associated with products containing Sunland peanut butter. Although the initial recall was said not to include products distributed in Europe, US authorities now say it’s possible that some recalled products were distributed to a number of European countries including the UK. The recalled products were likely not sold in supermarkets, but rather available for purchase over the Internet or from specialty shops that import American foods. The UK’s Food Standards Agency, which has requested, but not yet received, distribution information from the US authorities, has asked local authorities to … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak: Bird Poop On Peanuts At Sunland Plant
Eighteen months before the Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter made at Sunland's plant in Portales, NM, FDA inspectors found bird poop on raw, unshelled peanuts that had yet to be processed and told the company that storing nuts where birds could fly over and land on them was a health hazard. But, a year and a half later, when FDA inspectors returned to the plant after the outbreak, they found the same thing. In March, 2011, inspectors observed during and audit that "raw, in-shell peanuts were observed to be stored outdoors and exposed to the elements." And that "birds too numerous to count were observed flying over and landing on the in-shell peanuts. Apparent bird excreta also was observed on some of the in-shell peanuts. Management stated that these in-shell peanuts … [Read more...]
FDA: Sunland Has Been Shipping Tainted Peanut Butter Since 2009
Sunland Inc., the peanut butter maker at the heart of a 20-state Salmonella outbreak, has been knowingly shipping peanut butter tainted by Salmonella since 2009, according to newly released reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That revelation and a host of others were included in a report made by FDA inspectors after a month-long inspection that ended October 16, 2012. The report, sent to Sunland President Jimmie D. Shearer, stated Sunland failed to make foods "under conditions and controls necessary to minimize the potential for growth of microorganisms and contamination. Specifically," the report states, "Since 2009, your firm has distributed lots of peanut butter and nut butters that were positive for Salmonella." The report then lists products that tested … [Read more...]
After Salmonella Outbreak, Sunland Awaits FDA OK To Reopen
After it was linked to a Salmonella outbreak, peanut butter maker Sunland Inc. closed the doors of its manufacturing plant in Portales, NM to give everything a good cleaning. Weeks later, the nation's largest producer of organic peanut butter awaits a go ahead to reopen from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA's last word on Sunland was that the investigation into the Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter made at the company's Portales plant, which has sickened at least 41 people in 20 states, was ongoing. As one of the nation's largest peanut processors and the country's biggest manufacturer of organic peanut butter, Sunland made peanut butter for a variety of companies under dozens of brands names all included in a massive recall. The recalled peanut butter even … [Read more...]
Sunland Peanut Butter Salmonella Bredeney Outbreak Grows to 41 Patients
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 … [Read more...]
Salmonella Bredeney Outbreak Linked to Sunland Trader Joe Peanut Butter Grows
The CDC has updated its investigation into the Salmonella Bredeney outbreak that is linked to Trader Joe's Valencia peanut butter produced by Sunland Inc. Now 38 people have been sickened with the outbreak strain of the bacteria. Ten people have been hospitalized. There are no deaths. The case count by state is: Arizona (1), California (5), Connecticut (3), Illinois (1), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (3), Maryland (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (2), Nevada (1), New Jersey (2), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (2), Rhode Island (1), Texas (5), Virginia (1), and Washington (2). Sixty-six percent of the ill persons are children under the age of 10. Sunland has been recalling products for weeks, and derivative product recalls have reached into the hundreds of … [Read more...]
Smucker’s Uncrustables In School Lunches For Weeks After Peanut Butter Recall
Smucker's Uncrustables and other foods made with peanut butter possibly tainted with Salmonella were served in the school lunch program for weeks after the peanut butter was first recalled. Certain lots of the crustless sandwiches made by by the J.M.Smucker Co. of Orrville, Ohio contain peanut butter that was recalled by Sunland Inc., of Portales, NM on September 24, but the sandwiches were still being served to school children during the second week of October, Food Poisoning Bulletin has learned. Within three days of Sunland's recall, both Smucker's and Advance Pierre of Cincinnati, which makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cracker snacks and desserts that are also part of the National School Lunch Program, had contacted schools to to say they were not part of the recall. So, … [Read more...]
