Food Intelligence

Peanuts are getting a bad rap. First they take it out of the Sees lollipop lineup, claiming that many people have allergies to peanuts, but, as revealed by the Oakland Tribune, “It’s rare for items to be pulled from production, but among those yanked after meager sales were peanut-butter lollipops.” Then they take it out of the snack mixes on US domestic flights, leaving us with pretzels that leave the consumer with bad breath to go along with the bad b.o. already existent.

Now there’s a new reason to avoid peanut products: according to WebMD, on Saturday, “the FDA and CDC are recommending that consumers not eat products containing peanut butter (such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy, and ice cream) until information becomes available about whether those products are linked to an ongoing salmonella outbreak that may have contributed to six deaths.

At least 474 people in 43 states have been sickened by the outbreak strain of Salmonella typhimurium. Peanut butter has been associated with the outbreak. Peanut butter and peanut paste made by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at a facility in Blakely, Ga., have already been recalled in the wake of the outbreak.”

Some articles say that the jars of peanut butter are okay to consume, it’s the products made from peanut butter that are problematic…good luck with that.

Good thing I still can eat my honey roasted peanuts.

Oddly enough, this is probably what Bev and I came down with yesterday and today, although I don’t think we had any peanuts — The salmonella bacteria can cause diarrhea, cramping and fever.

Thank goodness it’s a three-day weekend.  Still have Monday to play!

For more info, check out the FDA site and CDC site.

FindArticles – At 86, See’s expands by sticking to old-fashioned recipe for success
Oakland Tribune, Apr 22, 2007, by Michele ChandlerSTAFF

FDA, CDC: Don’t Eat Peanut Butter Products
WebMD Health News, Jan 17, 2009, by Miranda Hitti