Is Your Peanut Butter Included in the Latest Recall?

Several Jif brand peanut butter products recently have been recalled. The J.M. Smucker Co. said it initiated a voluntary recall and advised consumers to dispose of certain products because of potential salmonella contamination. According to the FDA, salmonella infections were reported in 12 states: Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Two of the 14 cases involved hospitalization.

"Salmonella bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or older adults, and others with weakened immune systems," said Anirudh Naig, associate professor in hospitality management and state extension specialist for retail food safety with Iowa State University.

Naig noted that healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the bacteria getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Symptoms may develop 12 to 72 hours after infection. The symptoms of salmonella infection may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis, Naig said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, call your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 F.
• Diarrhea for more than three days that is not improving.
• Bloody stools.
• Prolonged vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down.
• Signs of dehydration, such as making very little urine, dry mouth and throat, or dizziness when standing up.

The recalled peanut butter was distributed nationwide in retail stores and other outlets, Naig noted. Recalled products include those with lot codes 1274425 -- 2140425. To determine if your peanut butter is included in the recall, check the Peanut Butter Recall List.

"If you have products matching the lot codes in the recall, dispose of them immediately. Check your pantry for unopened peanut butter products that you may have bought earlier and stored for future use," Naig said.

Consumers who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions should visit jif.com/contact-us or call the J.M. Smucker Co. at 800-828-9980 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT.

"Any surface or utensils that might have touched the peanut butter should be cleaned and sanitized," Naig noted.

Clean surfaces and utensils with soapy water, rinse in clean water, and sanitize by running the affected utensils in a dishwasher at high temperature or by spraying freshly prepared bleach solution (1.5 tsp of 5.25% bleach or 1 tsp of 8.25% bleach to 1 gallon of room temperature water) and let the utensils air dry.