Minnesotan linked to Salmonella outbreak from peanut butter
Published 10:23 am Wednesday, September 26, 2012
ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting that an adult from the Twin Cities metro area was sickened as part of an ongoing multistate outbreak of salmonella that’s been linked to a variety of peanut butter from Trader Joe’s.
The Minnesota resident reported eating Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt during the week prior to becoming ill in late July, according to a Tuesday, Sept. 25, news release from the health department.
The resident was hospitalized, but has recovered.
To date, a total of 29 people infected with the outbreak strain of salmonella have been reported in 18 states. Four people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.
Trader Joe’s has issued a voluntary recall of the implicated product, according to the health department. The Minnesota Department of Health along with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are urging consumers to not eat Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt that they may have in their homes, or any of the products recalled by Sunland, Inc. — the company that makes the Trader Joe’s peanut butter.
Based in Monrovia, Calif., Trader Joe’s operates six grocery stores in Minnesota.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems, according to the health department. Health people who become infected often experience diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain.
About 575 to 700 cases of salmonella illness are reported each year in Minnesota.
Christopher Snowbeck can be reached at 651-228-5479. Follow him at twitter.com/chrissnowbeck .