Peanut Butter Cups Recalled as Salmonella Fears Continue

The sweeping Jif peanut butter recall has just expanded to another product. As more and more products continue to be pulled from store shelves over fears of potential salmonella contamination, Albanese Confectionery Group, Inc. on May 27 voluntarily recalled some peanut butter cups sold at retailers nationwide.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerted consumers of the recall in a Friday alert. The recall affects Rich's Milk Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups sold after November 11, 2021 and Rich's Milk Chocolate Giant Layered Peanut Butter Cups sold after January 23, 2022. Per the recall notice, the recalled peanut butter cups were distributed nationwide and reached consumers through select retail stores, where they are sold in bulk bins unpackaged. The products were available at retailers including Harvest Market, Kitchen Kneads, All Things Chocolate & More, Bullseye Market Place, Lake Erie Candy Company, and Schakolad, as well as dozens more, and in states including Oregon, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, and Maryland, among others. The full list of retailers where product was sold can be found by clicking here.

The FDA noted that no illnesses have been reported to date in relation to the recalled peanut butter cups. The recall was instead issued as a precaution and as "a direct result of the J.M. Smucker Co. Jif Peanut Butter recall." The recall was issued May 20 after interviews and lab data determined that some Jif peanut butter products may be contaminated with Salmonella. Consumption of products contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, a common foodborne illness. Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, and typically occur within 12 to 72 hours of consumption. Although most people recover within four to seven days and do not require treatment, in rare cases, the infection can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, requiring the individual to be hospitalized.

The FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners are currently investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg infections linked to certain Jif peanut butter products. To date, 14 people from 12 states have been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella and two people have been hospitalized. More than 45 products are included in the initial J.M. Smucker Co. recall, though multiple other companies have since voluntarily recalled products made with or including Jif peanut butter as a precaution amid the outbreak. The full list of recalls can be found here.

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