Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Linked to Salmonella Outbreak

People who shop at Trader Joe's are being warned to avoid its peanut butter due to an ongoing investigation into a multi-state outbreak of salmonella, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The department is asking that people not consume Trader Joe’s brand Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with sea salt, but it warned that other peanut butter products could also be contaminated, according to a press release.

Officials say customers should set aside any peanut butter they've bought recently.

Maryland officials are working with several state health departments, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate the salmonella outbreak.

So far there has been one confirmed case in a Maryland child, who was not hospitalized and has recovered, according to the release. People in other states have been hospitalized as a result of eating the peanut butter, said officials.

Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps six to 72 hours after infection, according to the Maryland Health Department. The illness lasts two to seven days and most people recover without the need for medical treatment. 

Individuals with these symptoms who have consumed Trader Joe’s brand Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with sea salt should consult their health care provider. 

In some cases, salmonella can spread from the intestines into the bloodstream causing serious illness and death unless the person is promptly treated with antibiotics.