As most people have now heard, there's been a recent outbreak of Salmonella cases detected across the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed Salmonella Typhimurium has been found in peanut butter and peanut paste produced in a processing plant in Blakely, Georgia. Peanut paste is produced mainly from roasted peanuts that are ground into paste. The manufacturer has issued a recall of all peanut products produced on or after January 1, 2007. This recall is in response to the rash of Salmonella infections associated with products produced in the Blakely plant. Some of the recalled items involve foods sold directly to consumers, such as peanut butter crackers, peanut butter cookies, and ice cream made with peanut butter. The FDA has established a web site to better assist consumers in determining whether products they own are subject to the most recent recall. That website is http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm.
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and vomiting, often associated with fever, within twelve to seventy-two hours of infection. The symptons can range from mild to severe. The symptoms associated with Salmonella infection usually lasts from four to seven days. Most people infected will usually recover without medical treatment, however, the very young, the elderly, and individuals with weakened and/or impaired immune systems are likely to have more severe reactions from a Salmonella infection. Someone believing they have been infected by contaminated products should consult with their medical provider immediately.