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628
sickened by recalled peanut butter
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[June 01, 2007]
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- The number of people
sickened since August by peanut butter tainted with salmonella has
grown by more than 200, according to a new federal report. The
outbreak, first reported in February, now includes 628 cases in 47
states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said
Thursday.
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It is the first update on
the number of cases linked to the outbreak since early March, when
officials said 425 cases had been confirmed in 44 states. ConAgra
Foods Inc. recalled all its peanut butter after government
investigators linked the bacteria outbreak to the Omaha-based
company's Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter.
The CDC said the number of new salmonella cases dropped
substantially after the peanut butter was recalled.
The states with no illnesses reported are Hawaii, New Hampshire
and Utah, the CDC said.
Wal-Mart has continued selling Great Value peanut butter -- its
store brand -- that is made by different suppliers, but Peter Pan
has yet to return to stores.
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ConAgra plans to reintroduce Peter Pan in July. Initially,
another company will produce the peanut butter because it doesn't
expect to be able to resume production at its Sylvester, Ga., plant
until sometime in August, after renovations.
ConAgra officials have said they believe moisture in the plant
likely helped bacteria to grow and later infect the finished
product.
Consumers who had jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter
with a product code on the lid beginning with "2111" were urged to
throw out the peanut butter. The jars or their lids can be returned
to the store where they were purchased for a refund.
On the Web:
[Text copied
from file received from AP
Digital; article by Josh Funk AP business writer]
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