Peanut butter recall reaches to Valley stores

MAT-SU — Reacting to a possible salmonella contamination, local grocers are recalling five peanut butter products.

According to a press release from the national supermarket chain, Fred Meyer stores in Alaska are recalling ice cream that may contain peanut butter that came from the Peanut Corporation of America.

According to The Associated Press, the salmonella outbreak was traced to one of the peanut company’s plants in Georgia. The Food And Drug Administration said the outbreak may have contributed to six deaths and 470 illnesses in 43 states.

No illnesses have yet been linked to the Fred Meyer or Safeway products, according to press releases from both companies..

Fred Meyer is asking folks to check their freezers for the following items:

• Private Selection Peanut Butter Passion Light Ice Cream sold in 56-ounce containers under the UPC Code Number: 1111054016 with a “Sell by” date of 8-13-09 followed by 49-70.

• Private Selection Peanut Butter Passion Ice Cream sold in 48-ounce containers with a “Sell by” date of 9-13-2009 under the following UPC Code Number: 0001111054437.

• Private Selection Peanut Butter Passion Ice Cream sold in 56-ounce containers with a “Sell by” date of 8-11-2009 under the following UPC Code Number: 000111105281

Anyone with such items should not eat the ice cream but rather return it to the store for a refund.

According a press release from the national grocery chain, Safeway, the parent company of Carrs, is recalling products for similar reasons, asking customers to throw them out or return them to the store for a full refund

Those products are:

• Eating Right Kids Apples with Peanut Butter sold in a 6.75-ounce 3-pack with a Use By Dates of 12/27/08 to 2/2/09 and a UPC number of 0-7983-70175-2

• Eating Right Kids Celery with Peanut Butter sold in a 6.75-ounce 3-pack with Use By Dates of 12/27/09 to 2/2/09 and a UPC number of 0-79893-70172-1

• Organic Bark Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream, a product sold only in “Nut Hut” kiosks.

Customers with questions can call Safeway at 1-800-723-3929 and Fred Meyer at 1-800- 632-6900. Both companies have removed the items from their its shelves.

According to the press releases, salmonella can be fatal, especially in children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy people who contract the disease experience nausea, diarrhea, fever, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.