King Nut issues recall of peanut butter

January 11, 2:05 PMFood ExaminerEric Burkett

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Parnell's Pride is manufactured by Peanut Corpor-
ation of America. While PCA has not recalled the
product, King Nut has recalled Parnell's Pride pea-
nut butter.

News in the Salmonella outbreak has taken another turn. King Nut Companies, the company that distributes King Nut Creamy Peanut Butter, yesterday issued a voluntary recall of its product.

Minnesota Department of Health officials identified a 5-pound open container of King Nut peanut butter as being a potential source of 30 cases of Salmonella infection in that state. Nationwide, 399 cases of Salmonella infection have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control in an outbreak that began last September and has been detected in 42 states.

King Nut, however, did not manufacture the peanut butter that was pinpointed by the MDH. The peanut butter is actually made by Peanut Corporation of America, a Lynchburg, Va., company. On Saturday, PCA issued a press release stating their intent to cooperate with the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration.

“The salmonella was found in an open container of King Nut peanut butter at a nursing facility, which leaves open the possibility of cross contamination from another source,” PCA said in its press release. If this is, indeed, the case, it’s entirely possible the peanut butter was mishandled by an employee at the nursing facility or used by someone with questionable hygiene.

Peanut Corporation goes on to state “PCA’s facility and products are frequently and rigorously tested for salmonella and other microbiological contamination, including hourly sampling during processing and subsequent analysis by an outside, independent laboratory. No salmonella has ever been found in any of PCA’s product.”

On its web site, King Nut says they “require certification that the product has been tested and is safe. The test includes screening for salmonella.” In other words, King Nut does not do the testing itself relying, instead, on PCA to confirm the safety of the product.

According to the FDA, King Nut has begun contacting its customers and asking them to stop distributing all peanut butter with lot codes beginning with “8,” and immediately cancelled orders with Peanut Corporation of America. King Nut also distributes Parnell’s Pride peanut butter and has recalled that, as well. No other King Nut products have been recalled.