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Peanut Butter Crackers Associated With Salmonella

By PritzkerLaw

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with certain state health departments, recently conducted a case control study that found an association between the national Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak and pre-packaged peanut butter crackers.

According to the latest CDC calculations, 485 cases and six death have been associated with the outbreak, which began in early September. Fred Pritzker, a leading food safety lawyer, is preparing to file a Salmonella wrongful death lawsuit against Peanut Corporation of America, the company believed by state and federal health officials to be at the center of  the outbreak.

Pritzker represents the heirs of Shirley Mae Almer, who was infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella after eating King Nut creamy peanut butter at the nursing home in Brainerd, Minnesota, where she lived. King Nut is made at Peanut Corporation of America's South Georgia plant. Mrs. Almer, 72, had been recovering from cancer, but died December 21 with Salmonella. Minnesota state health investigators genetically matched peanut butter at the nursing home to the outbreak strain of bacteria..

Since Almer's case focused attention on Peanut Corporation of America, the company has idled its South Georgia plant and recalled peanut butter and peanut paste normally sold as ingredients to more than 80 food companies.

 CDC said preliminary analysis of the January 17-19 telephone survey specifically found an association between illness and consumption of Keebler and Austin brand peanut butter snack crackers. In the study, health investigators interviewed 47 people with confirmed cases of Salmonella infection from the outbreak and 399 well persons.

The CDC finding comes on the heels of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lab test confirming the presence of Salmonella bacteria in a previously unopened package of Austin peanut butter crackers. Kellogg Company, the maker of the snacks, recalled its Keebler and Austin peanut butter snack crackers on Jan. 16.

The CDC said Kellogg's makes the crackers at a plant in North Carolina with peanut paste made by Peanut Corporation of America.

If you or someone you know has been injured in the outbreak, you may be entitled to compensation. The first step is to contact the Salmonella lawyers at PritzkerLaw in Minneapolis, (612) 338-0202. Our firm is one of the few in the country to practice extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigaiton..

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on January 20, 2009 (boomark / email).