Peanut butter consumer warning

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Rose Richeson
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  The Army and Air Force Exchange Service and the Defense Commissary Agency are pulling Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter off the shelves due to a Food and Drug Administration warning Feb. 13 that links 288 cases of food borne illness in 39 states to consumption of varying types of the product.

According to an AAFES release, the FDA is warning consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter due to the risk of contamination with salmonella - a bacterium that causes food borne illness. The affected jars of peanut butter have a product code located on the lid of the jar that begins with the number 2111.

"After investigating, we found that we do have the coded peanut butter in our Commissary and Shoppette," said Lt. Col. Jeanine Czech, 39th Medical Group aeromedical services division chief. "We have placed a medical hold on the peanut butter to prevent further sales."

ConAgra Foods is voluntarily recalling Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter that was manufactured in a single facility in Georgia going back to May 2006. The FDA confirms that Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected.

Colonel Czech said you can find the code underneath or on top of the peanut butter jar lid. If you come across the 2111 code you should dispose of the jar.

To date, Incirlik has not seen any cases of salmonella infection. "Certainly we have the usual numbers of people with the usual stomachache issues, but none that are so severe that we would expect salmonella," said Colonel Czech.

Symptoms of food borne illness caused by salmonella include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. If members or families think they may have consumed the tainted peanut butter, and if they are experiencing the listed symptoms, they should contact their health care provider promptly.

"The sooner we can get it diagnosed the better," said Colonel Czech. "As always, the best protection against infectious diarrhea is through frequent hand washing."
For a full refund, customers may return the product lid to the location of purchase.