UPDATE:  October 5, 2012

The FDA announces that environmental samples taken in the Sunland Inc. nut butter production facility show the presence of Salmonella.  Further analysis to identify the type of Salmonella is pending.  Environmental samples are samples taken from various surfaces in the production or manufacturing facility that would likely harbor bacteria.  

Also, testing conducted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture laboratory isolated the outbreak strain from an opened jar of Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Peanut Butter collected from a case-patient’s home.

On October 4, Sunland Inc. expanded its ongoing recall to include all products made in the Sunland nut butter production facility between March 1, 2010 and September 24, 2012.  The company reports that it is adding 139 products to the recall, bringing the total number of products being recalled by Sunland Inc. to 240.

The expanded recall covers all previously identified Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, and Tahini products as well as Roasted Blanched Peanut Products. New product categories being added to the list are several varieties of flavored butters and spreads, including Thai Ginger Butter, Chocolate Butter and Banana Butter.

A list of all products being recalled by Sunland Inc. can be found in the company's recall announcement.  

The expanded recall adds forty-nine (49) products that are currently within the manufacturer’s recommended shelf-life, that is, the “Best-If-Used-By” dates have not expired.  The expanded recall also covers ninety (90) products consumers may still have in their homes which are older than the “Best-If-Used-By Date”. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney infections. We are moving quickly to learn as much as possible and prevent additional people from becoming ill. We recognize that people will be concerned about this outbreak, and we will continue to provide updates and advice.

What is the Problem and What is Being Done?

The FDA’s top priority is protecting consumers and ensuring the safety of our food supply. The FDA, the CDC and state and local public health officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney infections linked to peanut butter made by Sunland Inc. of Portales, New Mexico.  The linked peanut butter was Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter, with a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) identifier of 97111.   

The CDC reports a total of 35 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney from 19 states.  

Once FDA became involved in this fast-moving outbreak investigation, we began coordinating and working closely with the CDC and several state health departments, which have been leading their own investigations.  On September 20, FDA, the CDC and the state of California briefed Trader Joe’s on the status of the investigation, and the company voluntarily removed the suspected product from their store shelves. Trader Joe’s has also posted a customer advisory on their internet page and initiated a recall.  

As part of its investigation, FDA contacted Sunland Inc., which makes Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter.  On September 23, FDA and CDC briefed Sunland Inc. on the status of the investigation and the company voluntarily recalled the almond butter and peanut butter products that were manufactured on the same product line as Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter between May 1 and September 24, 2012.  

On the evening of September 24, Sunland Inc. expanded their recall to about 100 products, which include peanut butter and other products made with nuts and seeds.  

On October 5, The FDA announced that environmental samples taken in the Sunland Inc. nut butter production facility show the presence of Salmonella.  Further analysis to identify the type of Salmonella is pending.  Environmental samples are samples taken from various surfaces in the production or manufacturing facility that would likely harbor bacteria.

Also, testing conducted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture laboratory isolated the outbreak strain from an opened jar of Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Peanut Butter collected from a case-patient’s home.

On October 4, Sunland Inc. expanded its ongoing recall to include all products made in the Sunland nut butter production facility between March 1, 2010 and September 24, 2012.  The company reports that it is adding 139 products to the recall, bringing the total number of products being recalled by Sunland Inc. to 240.

The expanded recall covers all previously identified Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, and Tahini products as well as Roasted Blanched Peanut Products. New product categories being added to the list are several varieties of flavored butters and spreads, including Thai Ginger Butter, Chocolate Butter and Banana Butter.    

The expanded recall adds forty-nine (49) products that are currently within the manufacturer’s recommended shelf-life, that is, the “Best-If-Used-By” dates have not expired.  The expanded recall also covers ninety (90) products consumers may still have in their homes which are older than the “Best-If-Used-By Date”.  

A list of all products being recalled by Sunland Inc. can be found in the company's recall announcement.

As the investigation progresses we will keep the public informed.  

What Do Consumers Need To Do?

Consumers should not eat the recalled products. This is especially important for children under the age of 5 years, elderly adults, and people with weak immune systems. All products with “Best-If-Used-By” dates of March 1, 2011 or later should be discarded or returned immediately.

Consumers who have products which are within their current shelf life (“Best-If-Used-By” dates of October 4, 2012 and later) should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund or discard them. All expired products (“Best-If-Used-By” dates of October 4, 2012 and earlier) should be discarded.