Salmonella Outbreak Affecting Peanut Products Worsens

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A total of 35 people across 19 states have been sickened by the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney linked to Trader Joe's stores and products manufactured by Sunland Inc., according to most recent report from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, 21 of 28 ill persons interviewed by officials reported shopping at Trader Joe's stores across the country, and 19 of those 21 report eating Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter with Sea Salt in the week before falling ill. Two people reported eating Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter with Roaster Flaxseed.

The peanut butter in question is manufactured by Sunland. As of October 12, the company expanded its ongoing recall to include raw and roasted and in-shell peanuts solid in quantities from 2 ounces to 50 pounds which are within their current shelf life or have no stated expiration date. Earlier in the month Sunland expanded the recall of all products manufactured in its peanut butter plant in Portales, N.M., citing potential contamination. The expanded recall includes all products manufactured in the plant since March 1, 2010. 

A full statement and list of products from Sunland can be found here. 

FoodQualityNews.com reports that Don Schaffner, professor of foood microbiology at Rutgers University, said the illness count may grow before it shrinks.

"The peanut industry must wake up and recognize the serious problem here," Schaffner told the news outlet. "Salmonella in raw products is an issue but we need to make sure we deal with it."