The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a study that indicates a link between 288 cases of the food-borne illness and the peanut butter brands. This link has affected 39 states that have sold certain jars of the peanut butters.
Both brands have a product code beginning with the number 2111 that is located on the lid of the jar. The two products are manufactured in Georgia by ConAgra.
Some Great Value-brand peanut butter products are made by other manufacturers that have not been affected by the warning.
The FDA is instructing consumers to discard any products beginning with the 2111 product code that purchased after May 2006.
Anyone who has eaten these specific products should contact their doctor immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms of salmonella: fever, diarrhea and/or stomach cramps or vomiting.
For individuals who have a weakened immune system or poor health from other conditions, salmonella poisoning can cause life-threatening infection(s).
It is believed that the ongoing outbreak may have begun in August 2006, and it can be difficult to identify, according to the FDA. There have been only one or two cases reported daily, and the CDC was just recently able to identify the source.
Approximately 20 percent of the 288 people who have been infected from the peanut butter have also been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported to date, according to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Mike Lynch.
Although 39 states have been identified as being affected, most of the cases reported have been in the following states: NY, PA, VA, TN and MO.
CDC officials report that 85 percent of the people who have been infected with the illness reported eating the peanut butter.
Officials at the CDC stated they believe this is the first outbreak of its kind in the U.S., according to a report by the AP.
It is unknown yet how it developed, but an ongoing investigation is still being conducted.
ConAgra is fully cooperating and has begun to recall all of the identified peanut butter, along with destroying all affected products. ConAgra has also stopped the production of the products until the exact cause is identified and eliminated.
"Although none of our extensive product tests have indicated the presence of salmonella, we are taking this precautionary measure because consumer health and safety is our top priority," said the company's spokesman, Chris Kircher, according to the AP report.
"We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed to ensure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products," Kircher added.
The CDC's data indicates that salmonella poisoning causes about 40,000 humans to get sick each year, with the infection causing approximately 600 deaths annually.
