****UPDATED AGAIN ****
Apparently the CDC says the culprit is most likely dirty jars, as salmonella would be killed by the heat required to make peanut butter. Which is just, ewww! I'd rather imagine some unfortunate egg mix up than DIRTY JARS!


****UPDATED TO ADD ****
I finally found a statement from WalMart about the recall:

Food safety is always a top priority at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs. We are working very closely with ConAgra to fully understand the details of this situation. Wal-Mart has sent direction to our stores and clubs to immediately remove all impacted Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Great Value Peanut Butter based on specific product information provided by ConAgra. As an additional precautionary measure, we have also put a sales restriction on the products in question so that, should one inadvertently be scanned, a restriction notice will come up for the cashier.

I love that! "We are working closely to understand the details" sounds like corporation speak for "heads have rolled". Walmart is pretty notorious for leaning on their suppliers regarding pricing and efficiency.

Still no word on if they'll take them back as returns... I'll let you know how that went this weekend!


First we had E. coli in the spinach, now there's salmonella in the peanut butter.

The FDA is asking consumers to destroy Peter Pan brand and Great Value brand peanut butter, because it is contaminated with Salmonella. Destroy any jars that begin with product code 2111. I'm not sure I'm up for a search and destroy mission, but I could probably hit the trash can with a jar or two.

Since I instantly recognized Great Value as the WalMart store brand, I checked my cupboard - sure enough, I had 2 open jars of tainted PB. We eat a lot of peanut butter around here - I used to buy the all natural stuff, but now we live in this tiny little town that does not have double coupons, and the natural stuff is so expensive! Twice what I paid in Denver, despite the fact we are in peanut country and the peanut is the state snack! So I have a jar of all natural for my oldest son, who must keep his strict diet, and the regular stuff for the common folk.

How on earth peanut butter got contaminated by salmonella is a mystery to me. The ingredients list:

Roasted Peanuts, Sugar, Vegetable Oils (cottonseed and rapeseed), salt. Allergy warning: Contains Peanuts (well, duh.)

What, were there chickens in the peanut patch (but they grow underground!) The salt was stored next to the eggs?

I'm not destroying them, though. I'm taking them back to WalMart for a refund - it's only $3 a jar, but every penny counts and I'll be there this weekend anyway!

Oh, and this is more proof that generic is just as good as brand name. The peanut butter in the Peter Pan jars and the Great Value jars is exactly the same, made at the same plant, off the same line! Even their batch numbers are the same - starting with that 2111. Here's the official notice from ConAgra foods: Peter Pan Recall

Mama Says: Check your cupboards.

Labels: Mama Says, Need to Know