Jif peanut butter products recalled over linked to salmonella cases

A recall for several Jif Peanut butter products has been issued due to a possible salmonella outbreak, officials said.

Jif’s creamy, crunchy, natural and reduced fat peanut butters among other varieties of the product have been linked to a salmonella outbreak across 12 states that has left 14 sick, including two who were hospitalized, according to the Center for Disease Control.

The J.M. Smucker Co. on Friday announced a voluntary recall of more than 50 Jif peanut butter products due to potential salmonella contamination. Jars with lot codes 1274425 through 2140425 have been recalled and should be thrown away, according to the company.

The states reporting salmonella cases are Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington. The outbreak has been linked to a J.M. Smucker Company facility in Lexington, Kentucky, the Food and Drug Administration said.

Salmonella, a bacteria, can cause an illness known as salmonellosis. Side effects from salmonella poisoning include fever, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 450 people in the country die each year from salmonellosis.

People typically begin to experience symptoms 12 to 72 hours after contact with the bacteria, according to the FDA. Most people who are infected recover within four to seven days and do not need medical treatment.

With Post wires