Peanut butter manufacturer finally issues recall

January 14, 12:14 PMFood ExaminerEric Burkett

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Four months after people began falling ill with Salmonella infections and nearly a week after the story broke nationally, Peanut Corporation of America is finally issuing a recall of their product.

Last week, the Minnesota Department of Health announced it had discovered the possible source of a Salmonella outbreak that had sickened 30 people in Minnesota and more than 425 around the United States. Researchers at MDH had pinpointed the local outbreak to a 5-pound can of King Nut creamy peanut butter in the kitchen of a nursing facility. At least three people infected with Salmonella have died during the outbreak.

King Nut, an Ohio-based company, did not manufacture the peanut butter but distributed it through its own label to various institutions, such as restaurants and long-term care facilities, around the country. The peanut butter was actually made by Peanut Corporation of America. King Nut issued a voluntary recall of the product last week after Minnesota health officials pinpointed its product in the contamination but continued to stress that they were not the manufacturers, only the distributors.

“We only distribute in seven states,” said Martin Kanan, president and CEO of King Nut, in a release, “and therefore King Nut peanut butter could not possibly be the source of a nationwide outbreak of Salmonella.” King Nut distributes its products in Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, Arizona, Idaho and New Hampshire.

Only last Saturday, Peanut Corp. strenuously denied any connection with the contamination and then remained silent on the matter until its announcement today. PCA makes peanut butter for companies such as King Nut as well as private labels for retailers. It also manufactures its own brand, Parnell’s Pride.

“We deeply regret that this has happened,” said Stewart Parnell, owner and president of PCA in a release issued today through the Food and Drug Administration. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily withdrawing this product and contacting our customers. We are taking these actions with the safety of our consumers as our first priority.”

The peanut butter being recalled was manufactured at PCA’s plant in Blakley, Ga., on or after July 1, 2008. Officials at the plant in Blakely were not responding to reporters’ questions and referred, instead, to a recorded message with information about the recall. As of this writing, PCA's web site is down.