Trader Joe's Recalls Peanut Butter For Salmonella Investigation

Trader Joe's has pulled its Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter (sku 97111) made with sea salt from the shelves after a Food and Drug Administration investigation linked it to food-borne illness in 18 states.

The FDA is looking into whether the peanut butter is responsible for an outbreak of salmonella bredeney infection dating back to June that sickened 29 people. Four people have been hospitalized, but no one has been reported dead. 

Trader Joe's said in a statement on the company's website that it was recalling the product "out of an abundance of caution."

Peanut butter samples are being tested at various state labs. Anyone in recent months who consumed this product and then became ill with diarrhea or vomiting should consult their health care provider.

Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps six to 72 hours after infection, according to the Centers For Disease Control. The illness usually lasts two to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.

In some cases, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient requires hospitalization. Older adults, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to become severely ill from salmonella infection.

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