The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 23) urged the public not to consume several kinds of imported peanut butter, as the products might have been contaminated with Salmonella, a pathogen. The trade should stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.
Details of the products are as follows:
Product name: Creamy Peanut Butter
Brand: Jif
Place of origin: United States
Net weight: 454 grams per jar
Use-by dates: November 12, 2023; January 7, 2024; January 8, 2024; and February 11, 2024
Product name: Crunchy Peanut Butter
Brand: Jif
Place of origin: United States
Net weight: 454 grams per jar
Use-by dates: November 16, 2023; January 16, 2024; and February 7, 2024
Product name: Creamy Peanut Butter Portion Control Cup
Brand: Jif
Place of origin: United States
Net weight: 21 grams per cup
Use-by dates: October 13, 2022; November 5, 2022; and November 21, 2022
“The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted notices issued by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (US) and the Canadian authorities respectively that certain Jif peanut butter products are under recall because they might have been contaminated by Salmonella. The affected products are produced in a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, US, with lot codes from 1274425 to 2140425(alongside the use by date) and all end with 425,” a spokesman for the CFS said.
Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately followed up with major local importers and retailers, and received a notification from importer Rainbow Asset Limited that the abovementioned products have been imported to Hong Kong. The importer concerned has stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected products and initiated a voluntary recall. Members of the public may call its hotline at 2898 3252 during office hours for enquiries about the recall of the concerned products.
“Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected products if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.
Information on the affected products can be found at the CFS’s Food Incident Post webpage (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/rc/subject/fi_list.html). The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.
Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI), in cooperation with its supplier The J. M. Smucker Co., has voluntarily recalled 11 store-prepared items due to possible Salmonella contamination. The FDA’s recall announcement can be found here.
The store-prepared items were available for purchase at the following banners: Albertsons, Safeway, Lucky, Haggen, Carrs-Safeway, Eagle, Tom Thumb, United, Amigos, Market Street, Albertsons Market, Andronico’s Community Markets, Vons, Pak ‘N Save, Shaw’s, Star Market, Randalls, Vons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, King’s and Balducci’s.
Consumers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume these products and to dispose of them or return the items to their local store for a full refund.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notification that J.M Smucker Co is recalling affected batches of Jif Peanut Butter products from the USA due to potential contamination of Salmonella Senftenberg, as a precautionary measure.
The U.S authorities are currently conducting investigations. As the implicated products were imported into Singapore, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has directed the importer, DKSH South East Asia Pte. Ltd, to recall the implicated batches. The recall is ongoing. 2Salmonella Senftenburg is a pathogenic bacterium and should not be detected in ready-to-eat food products.
Salmonella can cause foodborne illnesses including fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea. Consumers who have purchased the implicated product are advised not to consume it. Those who have consumed the implicated product and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice. Consumers may contact their point of purchase for enquiries.3Details of the product are as follows.
Implicated Product “Jif” Peanut Butter Lot codes 1274425 –2140425Country of origin: USA Issued by the Singapore Food Agency
The company has issued a correction to the previous announcement.
The J. M. Smucker Co. is recalling select Jif® peanut butter products sold in the U.S. due to potential Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
The recalled peanut butter was distributed nationwide in retail stores and other outlets. Recalled products include the products below with lot codes 1274425 – 2140425. Lot codes are included alongside best-if-used-by date.
Description
UPC
JIF 16 OUNCE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
5150025516
JIF 16 OUNCE CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER
5150025537
JIF 96 OUNCE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER TWIN PACK
5150024705
JIF 96 OUNCE CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER TWIN PACK
5150024706
JIF 40 OUNCE NATURAL CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER
5150007565
JIF 12 OUNCE CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER INTERNATIONAL
5150008026
JIF 3/4 OUNCE PEANUT BUTTER PLASTIC CASE
5150008051
JIF .64 OUNCE NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER PLASTIC CASE
5150008058
JIF 96 COUNT NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER TO GO CASE
5150021889
JIF 36 COUNT CREAMY JIF PEANUT TO GO CASE
5150024114
JIF 8 COUNT CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER TO GO
5150024130
JIF 8 COUNT CREAMY PBTR TO GO
5150024136
JIF 4.5 OUNCE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER TO GO
5150024137
JIF 54 OUNCE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER TO GO 36 PACK
5150024143
JIF 28 OUNCE CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER
5150024163
JIF 96 COUNT CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER TO GO
5150024170
JIF 54 OUNCE NATURAL CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER TO GO 36 PACK
JIF 1.1 OUNCE PORTION CONTROL PEANUT BUTTER 120 COUNT
5150092100
JIF 48 OUNCE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
5150024094
JIF 48 OUNCE CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER
5150024095
JIF 1.5 oz CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER TO GO
5150024141
JIF 48 OUNCE NATURAL CREAMY
5150024402
JIF 40 OUNCE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
5150024090
JIF 40 OUNCE CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER
5150024091
JIF 40 OUNCE NATURAL CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
5150025524
If consumers have products matching the above description in their possession, they should dispose of it immediately.
Consumers who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions should visit www.jif.com/contact-usExternal Link Disclaimer or call 800-828-9980 Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM ET.
This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Based on the information known to date, we are unable to estimate the financial impact of the recall either on our fiscal year ended April 30, 2022, or on our current fiscal year 2023. We will provide additional information as soon as possible.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements. Readers should understand that the risks, uncertainties, factors, and assumptions listed and discussed in this press release, including the following important factors and assumptions, could affect the future results of the Company and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements:
the impact of food security concerns involving either our products or our competitors’ products, including product recalls;
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, industry, suppliers, customers, consumers, employees, and communities;
disruptions or inefficiencies in our operations or supply chain, including any impact caused by product recalls, political instability, terrorism, armed hostilities (including the recent outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine), extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, pandemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic), or other calamities;
risks related to the availability of, and cost inflation in, supply chain inputs, including labor, raw materials, commodities, packaging, and transportation;
risks associated with derivative and purchasing strategies we employ to manage commodity pricing and interest rate risks;
our ability to generate sufficient cash flow to continue operating under our capital deployment model, including capital expenditures, debt repayment, dividend payments, and share repurchases;
our ability to implement and realize the full benefit of price changes, and the impact of the timing of the price changes to profits and cash flow in a particular period;
general competitive activity in the market, including competitors’ pricing practices and promotional spending levels;
the concentration of certain of our businesses with key customers and suppliers, including single-source suppliers of certain key raw materials and finished goods, and our ability to manage and maintain key relationships;
impairments in the carrying value of goodwill, other intangible assets, or other long-lived assets or changes in the useful lives of other intangible assets or other long-lived assets; and
risks related to other factors described under “Risk Factors” in other reports and statements we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Readers are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, when evaluating the information contained in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, to reflect new events or circumstances.
CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg infections.
Epidemiologic and laboratory data show that some Jif brand peanut butters may be contaminated with Salmonella Senftenberg and are making people sick.
Epidemiologic Data
As of May 21 2022, a total of 14 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Senftenberg have been reported from 12 states (see map). Illnesses started on dates ranging from February 17, 2022, through May 1, 2022 (see timeline).
Sick people range in age from less than one to 85 years, with a median age of 56, and 71% are female. Of 6 people with information available, 2 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
The true number of sick people in an outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 2 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the five people interviewed, five (100%) reported eating peanut butter. Four of five (80%) sick people reported Jif brand peanut butter. Two people reported Jif Creamy Reduced Fat peanut butter, one person reported Jif Natural Creamy Low Sodium peanut butter, and one person reported Jif Natural Creamy peanut butter. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from eating peanut butter.
Laboratory Data
Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.
WGS analysis shows that samples from sick people in this investigation are closely related genetically to a sample collected in 2010 from the environment at J.M. Smucker Company’s facility in Lexington, KY, where some Jif brand peanut butter is produced.
On May 20 2022, J.M. Smucker Company recalledexternal icon multiple Jif brand peanut butter types. Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled Jif brand peanut butter.
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