Trader Joe’s peanut butter recall expands

A Spokane teen was among 30 people who were sickened with salmonella connected to a peanut butter sold by grocer Trader Joe’s. Spokane health officials say the teen, along with another Washington boy from Thurston County, became ill about 6 weeks ago. The peanut butter recall has now been expanded to dozens of peanut, cashew and almond butters produced by Sunland Inc. The New Mexico-based company processed and packaged the Trader Joe’s Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter that has since been linked to salmonella cases in 18 states. The company’s voluntary recall now includes 76 varieties of almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini and toasted blanched peanut products as a precaution, according to a press release. Only the peanut butter product sold under the Trader Joe’s label, however, has been connected to salmonella. The infections occurred between June 11 and Sept. 2. The expanded recall list can be viewed at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm320647.htm The recall is the largest for peanut butter products since the massive 2008 episode involving Peanut Corp. of America the sickened about 700 people and reportedly killed nine over many several months. That recall reached into snack foods, including several of the best-selling brands of cookies and crackers.