Released: February 16, 2007

In View of Peanut Butter Recall, Know Symptoms of Salmonella

MANHATTAN, Kan. – A peanut butter recall in the news affects a relatively small portion of the nation’s peanut butter supply, and doesn’t mean that consumers should stop buying or using other peanut butter, said Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University Research Extension food scientist.

It does mean that consumers should check the brand and product code of peanut butter they have on hand and, if it matches the recall, discard the potentially contaminated product.

The potential contaminant, Salmonella Tennessee, can cause foodborne illness, Blakeslee said. Symptoms, which include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, typically appear within 12 to 72 hours after ingestion. The illness usually lasts four to seven days and most people recover without treatment. Those with severe diarrhea, however, may need to be hospitalized.

Salmonella can be particularly dangerous for children, whose immune systems are not yet fully developed, older adults whose immune systems are weakened by age and others who may be suffering from chronic illness or undergoing medical treatment such as chemotherapy that has weakened their immune system.

If Salmonella is suspected, seeking medical treatment is recommended, she said.

More information on food and food safety is available at local and district K-State Research and Extension offices and on Extension’s food safety Web site: www.oznet.ksu.edu/foodsafety.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Nancy Peterson
nancyp@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News