COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. -- Warren Hammonds lives in a house divided over peanut butter.
“My wife eats creamy but I eat crunchy,” he said. “Hey, we each have our own jars. It’s like brushing your teeth; we each have our own toothbrush!”
As the Executive Director of the Colonial Heights Food Pantry, Hammonds now has volunteers checking their peanut butter inventory, regardless of style, because nationwide recall of JIF products that were linked to a salmonella outbreak.
“We do have volunteers every day that check our incoming product, check for expiration dates anyway, so this is something we’ll ask them to do in addition over the next several days,” Hammonds said.
JIF creamy, crunchy, natural and reduced-fat peanut butter is being recalled because they have been linked to a salmonella outbreak that has left 14 people ill in 12 states, including Virginia.
The J.M. Smucker Co. on Friday voluntarily recalled the peanut butter, which was produced at the iconic brand's plant in Lexington, Kentucky, and was distributed across the nation.
JIF creamy, crunchy, natural and reduced-fat peanut butter is being recalled because they have been linked to a salmonella outbreak that has left 14 people ill in 12 states, including Virginia.
Recalled jars have lot codes 1274425 through 2140425 and should be discarded, company officials said. [Click here for a complete list of products.]
"If consumers have products matching the above description in their possession, they should dispose of it immediately," J. M. Smucker Co. officials said.
FDA officials said the recalled peanut butter has a two-year shelf life, so consumers should check any JIF peanut butter in their homes.
Although only 14 cases have been confirmed, officials said they expect the actual number of cases is higher since most people quickly recover on their own or do not report the illness.
Hammonds said handling the recall won’t be a big deal for them, which is good news because peanut butter is a staple item for many of their families.
“When we do give it out, we give out 200 to 250 jars every single week,” Hammond said. “It lasts, it tastes good, and just a good source of protein.”
Many stores are offering refunds to customers who bought recalled JIF products.
