More Salmonella Deaths From Peanut Butter (Video)

The Ohio Department of Health announced Friday that four deaths have been reported among the 67 cases and 19 people have been hospitalized.

Sixty-seven cases of salmonella poisoning have been reported in Ohio, the most in any state during a nationwide outbreak linked to peanut butter products.

Ohio has now surpassed California in the number of cases reported.

There are six reported food poisoning cases in Georgia so far, but no deaths.

As the recall of salmonella-tainted peanut butter products widens, a Washington state lawyer is now calling on the Virginia-based Peanut Corporation of America to pay funeral costs for several of those who died from food poisoning.

PCA officials say they’re laying off nearly all of the workers at the Blakely facility, and will only keep several managers on duty.

Local officials say 40 to 50 people are employed at the plant.

(Source: CDC)

"As of 9PM EDT, Wednesday, January 22, 2009, 491 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 43 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arizona (10), Arkansas (4), California (62), Colorado (12), Connecticut (9), Georgia (6), Hawaii (3), Idaho (11), Illinois (6), Indiana (4), Iowa (2), Kansas (2), Kentucky (3), Maine (4), Maryland (8), Massachusetts (42), Michigan (25), Minnesota (35), Missouri (9), Mississippi (3), Nebraska (1), New Hampshire (11), New Jersey (19), New York (18), Nevada (5), North Carolina (6), North Dakota (10), Ohio (67), Oklahoma (2), Oregon (7), Pennsylvania (14), Rhode Island (4), South Dakota (2), Tennessee (9), Texas (6), Utah (5), Vermont (4), Virginia (20), Washington (13), West Virginia (2), Wisconsin (3), and Wyoming (2). Additionally, one ill person was reported from Canada."

(Source: CDC)

As the salmonella recall of products containing peanut butter continues to expand, a Washington state lawyer is calling on the company with Georgia operations to pay funeral costs for the six people believed to have died from the outbreak.

That comes as Virginia-based Peanut Corporation of America announced it's laying off the majority of it's workforce.

Click here for more on this developing story.

(With John Sepulvado and the AP)

Little Debbie Peanut Butter Crackers Recalled

"Peanut Proud:" Blakely City Hall. (Dave Bender/file)

Now it's some Little Debbie peanut butter crackers that are being recalled because there's a chance of salmonella contamination.

That's the word Sunday from McKee Foods Corp. of Collegedale, Tenn.

The voluntary recall covers all sizes of two kinds of sandwich crackers - Little Debbie peanut butter toasty crackers and Little Debbie peanut butter cheese crackers.

The company says no other Little Debbie products are involved in the recall. McKee says it acted because the crackers have the potential to be contaminated.

Federal health authorities on Saturday urged consumers to avoid eating cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods that contain peanut butter until authorities can learn more about a deadly outbreak of salmonella contamination.

Federal food safety officials say 85 food companies have purchased peanut products from the Georgia facility under investigation in the latest salmonella outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration says 30 companies have been contacted and urged to test their products.

Officials are focusing on peanut paste, as well as peanut butter, produced at the Blakely, Ga., facility owned by Peanut Corp. of America.

"We urge consumers to postpone eating any products that may contain peanut butter until additional information becomes available," said Stephen Sundlof, head of the Food and Drug Administration's food safety center.

But most peanut butter sold in jars at supermarkets appears to be safe, Sundlof said.

Here's a list of products voluntarily recalled by the Kellogg Co. because they could be contaminated with salmonella from the Blakely peanut processing facility:

• Austin Quality Foods Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter - all sizes
• Austin Quality Foods Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
• Austin Quality Foods Mega Stuffed Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter - all sizes
• Austin Quality Foods PB & J Cracker Sandwiches - all sizes
• Austin Quality Foods Super Snack Pack Sandwich Crackers
• Austin Quality Foods Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
• Austin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter - all sizes
• Austin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
• Austin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
• Austin Quality Foods Cookie/Cracker Pack
• Austin Quality Foods Variety Pack
• Keebler Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
• Keebler Toast & PB'n J Flavored Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
• Keebler Toast & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers - all sizes
• Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies (2- and 3-ounce)
• Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies (2.5-ounce)

(AP)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of this issue.

Blakeley Peanut Plant Halts Production Over Salmonella Outbreak

"Peanut Proud:" Blakeley City Hall. (Dave Bender/file)

A peanut butter maker with a plant in southwest Georgia has stopped production. The move comes after a string of food poisoning incidents.

"PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA... HAS ANNOUNCED A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF PEANUT BUTTER PRODUCED IN ITS BLAKELEY, GEORGIA PROCESSING FACILITY," a recording on a PCA hotline said.

Officials at PCA say they're cooperating with a Food and Drug Administration investigation.

FDA officials say salmonella-tainted peanut butter has killed three people in Virginia and Minnesota, and sickened some 400 others in 42 states since last fall.

The company is voluntarily recalling all of their "King Nut" and "Parnell's Pride," commercial peanut butter batches nationwide.

The company says about 1,000 cases went out to restaurants and institutions, and were not sold directly to consumers.

The recall is taking place as the 33rd annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show opens in Albany on Thursday.

Organizers say they expect to host some 1,500 industry officials and local farmers at the day-long event.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of previous similar food poisoning incidents.