SACRAMENTO (February 20, 2007) – State Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Horton today warned consumers not to eat Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter with the product code “2111” because they may be contaminated with Salmonella tennessee (S. Tennessee), a bacterium that causes gastrointestinal illness.  Both the Peter Pan and Great Value brands are manufactured by ConAgra in Georgia. 

As of Feb. 15, 290 people from 39 states, including two from California, have been reported with S. Tennessee infections to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  To date, the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) has confirmed two outbreak-associated cases, one each in Orange and San Diego counties.  Continued surveillance and testing is under way to identify any additional cases associated with this outbreak.

“Consumers should not eat Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter with product code beginning with “2111” located on the lid of the jar, “ said Horton. 

Most individuals with salmonellosis develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps one to three days after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most individuals recover without treatment. However, in some individuals, the diarrhea may be so severe that he or she needs to be hospitalized. The elderly, infants and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Individuals who think they may have become ill from eating peanut butter should contact their health care provider.  Anyone who becomes ill after consuming the implicated product should set aside the jar for possible collection by local health officials.  Anyone who has not become ill and has a jar of peanut butter with the implicated brands and product code “2111” should return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a refund or discard the jar and retain the lid to submit to ConAgra for a refund.  Additional information about obtaining a refund from ConAgra is available on its Web site at www.conagrafoods.com. 

Consumers can visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site at www.fda.gov or the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov for the latest information on the product recall and epidemiologic investigation. 

Return to Other Environmental Health News