After a brief hiatus, it is once again peanut butter jelly time.
A salmonella outbreak forced peanut butter company Jif to issue a voluntary recall of 49 products in June. Only yesterday did the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declare the outbreak over.
Jif claims to have removed impacted jars from store shelves, but it’s up to consumers to make sure that salmonella-tainted spreads aren’t lingering in their homes.
The Jif salmonella outbreak impacted a range of spreads and squeezes, including some of Jif’s creamy peanut butters, crunchy peanut butters, to-go packs, and squeezable pouches. The contamination likely originated from a J.M. Smucker manufacturing company in Lexington, Kentucky.
Jif voluntarily recalled these products. Afterwards, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted some additional recalls for other food products that used Jif peanut butter, like certain snack cups or chocolates.
Despite the potential widespread contamination, only 21 illnesses and four hospitalizations were reported nationwide.
Although the salmonella outbreak is over, products listed in Jif’s initial recall are not magically decontaminated. They are still not safe to eat.
Because unopened peanut butter can last in the pantry from between six to nine months, it can’t hurt to double check your stock.
You can view a full list of impacted products here.
For now, Jif peanut butter has the FDA OK, as long as you are consuming a new product, and not one listed above.
People who find impacted Jif products should discard them and wash and sanitize surfaces and utensils that may have touched the peanut butter.
Anyone who eats contaminated peanut butter and develops symptoms of salmonellosis (watery diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting) should contact their healthcare provider.
Consumers can also file a recall claim with Jif online, call the company at 1-800-828-9980, or contact them at jif.com/contact-us.
Jif peanut butter is once again safe to eat, so long as you don’t consume a product listed in the company’s June recall for salmonella.
Customers who find a recalled product in their home can file a recall claim with Jif online, call the company at 1-800-828-9980, or contact them at jif.com/contact-us. People who experience illness should contact a healthcare provider.