Nationwide Peanut Butter Recall Hits Suburban Chicago

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products has recalled several brands of peanut butter cookies sold in Wal-Mart locations throughout suburban Chicago joining the nationwide peanut butter recall. More specifically, the baked goods supplier has recalled Wal-Mart bakery brands of peanut butter cookies, peanut butter no-bake cookies and peanut butter fudge no-bake cookies. Ralcorp joins the South Bend Chocolate Co. in Northwest Indiana which has already recalled several peanut butter based candies. The Illinois and Northwest Indiana recalls came only a day after the Food and Drug Administration advised consumers to stay away from cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods containing peanut butter. Health officials have targeted peanut paste and peanut butter produced at a facility owned by Peanut Corp. The facility, located in Blakely, Georgia, produces peanut butter and peanut paste that is not directly available to consumers. The peanut paste, which is derived from roasted peanuts, is nationally distributed to institutions and food companies throughout the U.S. for use in cakes, cookies, and other food products. According to the Associated Press, at least 85 companies had purchased peanut products from the Georgia plant, and 30 had been urged to run their own tests for bacteria.

The defective peanut butter has been implicated in a 43-state salmonella outbreak which has been linked to as many as six deaths. About 20% of those who have become ill as a result of defective peanut butter consumption have been hospitalized. Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps beginning around 12 to 72 hours after infection. Most of those infected recover within seven days without further complications.

If you have reason to believe that you may have ingested defective peanut butter, you should contact a doctor immediately. As the peanut butter recall shows, dangerous and defective products can cause substantial harms once they are put into the marketplace. If you have been injured by a dangerous product, you may be entitled to compensation. Chicago lawyer Joseph G. Klest has over twenty four years of legal experience handling injury cases. Contact the Klest Law Firm today for a free initial consultation regarding your dangerous product injury.