Peanut Product Recall and Cancer Patients
Key Points
- Contamination with Salmonella bacteria, confirmed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has caused the Peanut Corporation of America to recall all peanut-containing products produced at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant on or after January 1, 2007 (see Question 1).
- People with impaired immune systems, such as cancer patients who are being treated with chemotherapy drugs or who have received a bone marrow or stem cell transplant from another person, are more likely to become severely ill from a Salmonella infection than others (see Question 3).
- Other nutritious, high-calorie, high-protein foods can be used in place of peanut butter or peanut-containing products (see Question 4).
- A complete list of recalled peanut products is available on the FDA's Web site, and more information about Salmonella infections is available from the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (see Question 5).
1. Why are peanut products being recalled?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been receiving reports from many U.S. states of illnesses caused by a type of bacterium called Salmonella enterica, strain Typhimurium, which is also known as Salmonella typhimurium. Several deaths may also be associated with this outbreak. Tests indicate that the people who became sick may have eaten the same contaminated food because they were infected with the same strain of Salmonella.
Laboratory tests and other analyses by state officials in Minnesota and Connecticut, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the CDC allowed the FDA to confirm that the sources of the outbreak were peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant. Peanut paste is a concentrated product that consists of ground, roasted peanuts and is distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in many commercially produced products, including cakes, cookies, crackers, candies, cereal, and ice cream.
As a result of this contamination, a number of foods containing peanut butter and peanut paste produced by PCA from July 1, 2008, to the present were recalled on January 13, 2009. On January 28, 2009, PCA expanded its recall to include all peanut products produced on or after January 1, 2007.
2. Are all peanut products being recalled?
No. Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the recall. However, some stores or boutiques purchase peanuts, grind them, and sell them as their own brand of peanut butter. It is possible that some of these products - known as "boutique" brands - could be affected by the recall.
If you are unsure whether a particular peanut-containing product has been recalled, it is best to avoid eating that food.
3. Is there a special concern for cancer patients?
Yes. People with impaired immune systems, such as cancer patients who are being treated with chemotherapy drugs or who have received a bone marrow or stem cell transplant from another person, are more likely to become severely ill from a Salmonella infection than others. When a severe infection occurs, Salmonella may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and can even cause death unless properly treated.
4. Are there other nutritious, high-calorie, high-protein foods that cancer patients can consume that don't contain peanuts?
Yes. Nutrition recommendations for cancer patients often focus on eating high-calorie foods that emphasize protein.
The following tables list other nutritious, high-calorie, high-protein foods that can be used in place of peanut butter or peanut-containing products. A registered dietician (R.D.) can provide additional suggestions to meet your specific needs. Contact your health care provider for a referral to a registered dietician.
(Note: Other nut butters, such as almond butter, are often processed using the same equipment that is used for peanut butter. If you are unsure of the source, it is best to avoid other nut butters as well.)
| Food (portion size) |
Calories* |
Protein* |
| Bean dip (2 Tbsp) |
30-50 calories |
2 grams |
| Beans, refried (1/2 cup) |
80 calories |
5 grams |
| Cheese, pasteurized (1 oz) |
100 calories |
7 grams |
| Cheese sauce, pasteurized (2 Tbsp) |
90 calories |
4 grams |
| Cheese spread, pasteurized (1 oz) |
80 calories |
5 grams |
| Cheese, string (1 oz) |
80 calories |
7 grams |
| Hummus (1/4 cup) |
100 calories |
5 grams |
| Pudding (1/2 cup) |
140 calories |
2 grams |
| Yogurt, regular (1 cup) |
140 calories |
8 grams |
*The nutrition information given above reflects the average calorie and protein content of each food. Refer to the Nutrition Facts label on individual food packages for the specific calorie and protein content of food items.
| Instead of… |
Try… |
| Peanut butter and jelly sandwich |
Cheese sandwich
Pita and hummus |
| Peanut butter crackers |
Cheese crackers
Hummus and crackers
Bean dip and crackers |
| Fruit and peanut butter |
Fruit and cottage cheese
Fruit and pasteurized cheese
Fruit and hummus
Fruit and pudding
Fruit and yogurt |
| Peanut butter smoothies |
Fruit and yogurt smoothies
Fruit smoothies made with pasteurized liquid egg substitute |
| Granola bar made with nuts and/or peanut butter |
Cookie or snack bar made without nuts, such as oatmeal raisin cookies
Cereal (without nuts) and milk
Plain dried fruit
Bean or lentil soup
Yogurt |
| Vegetables and peanut butter |
Vegetables and salad dressing
Vegetables and bean dip
Vegetables and hummus |
| Trail mix or mixed nuts |
Edamame (baby soy beans)
Plain dried fruit
String cheese
Yogurt |
5. Where can I get more information about the peanut product recall and Salmonella?
A complete list of recalled peanut butter and other peanut-containing products is available on the FDA's Web site at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm on the Internet.
More information about the peanut product recall and Salmonella infections is available on the FDA's Web site at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html#consumers and the CDC's Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium on the Internet.
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Related NCI materials and Web pages:
For more help, contact:
NCI's Cancer Information Service
Telephone (toll-free): 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
TTY (toll-free): 1-800-332-8615
LiveHelp online chat: https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/livehelp/welcome.asp
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