Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak in USA thought to be linked to peanut butter and products containing peanut butter
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Food Alert: for Action
Ref: 1/2009
The Agency has been informed of a large outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium in the USA that is thought to be linked to peanut butter and products containing peanut butter. Whilst the source of the outbreak remains unknown, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA has found traces of Salmonella Typhimurium from a plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) which manufactures peanut butter and peanut paste that are distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in many commercially produced products.
Following the FDA inspection, PCA initiated a product recall on the 12 January 2009 with further products being added at later dates. Further information on this recall and the ongoing investigations can be found at the FDA link below.
On Monday 19 January 2009, the European Commission requested from the FDA information on the products and distributors and the possible distribution to the EU, if any. Meanwhile, Member States have been asked to proactively check whether they have received any recalled products.
A full list of products recalled in the USA to date can be found in Annexe A attached to this food alert. This list is updated regularly and is also available at the link below.
Additional products have been recalled in Canada. Further information on these can be found at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency link below.
The Health Protection Agency is currently not aware of any cases of illness in the UK that may be associated with the outbreak. However, investigations into this are at an early stage, and more information from the US authorities on the outbreak strain is needed before this work can be completed.
Action to be taken by Local Authorities
Until the requested information regarding possible distribution from the FDA is provided, the Food Standards Agency is asking local authorities to identify food business operators in their area known to import and sell peanut butter and/or products containing peanut butter from the USA. Should any item listed in Annexe A be found at these premises, it should be removed from sale using powers under the Food Safety Act 1990, a point-of-sale notice displayed and the FSA informed. If any similar products manufactured in the USA with different batch and date codes are found, these should be sampled for salmonella and the Agency notified of the results.
Local authorities without such food business operators in their area are requested to have regard to these products possibly being present on the market during their routine inspections.
It is essential that all Non Unitary Authorities liaise at county level to ensure that they co-ordinate their actions.
Related links
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