Warnings Crunch Peanut Butter Biz

'We're lucky,' but drug-resistant bacteria lie in wait, experts warn

(NEWSER) - The ongoing salmonella outbreak has sickened hundreds of people and played a part in eight deaths, and that's the good news, experts tell MSNBC. The strain in question responds to the standard treatment, but other varieties of the salmonella bacteria have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics in recent decades."This is kind of an alert," says one doctor. "We're lucky this time." More»

(NEWSER) - The wide range of products containing peanut butter makes the ongoing salmonella outbreak especially tough on regulators and consumers, CNN reports. It's everywhere, from ice cream to energy bars to dog treats. The outbreak has so far sickened nearly 500 people and killed six in 43 states, and investigators expect the list of 125 recalled products to keep growing. More»

Austin, Keebler offerings pulled as 'precautionary' measure

(NEWSER) - Kellogg is warning consumers not to eat its Austin and Keebler brand peanut butter crackers because a supplier has been linked to the salmonella outbreak, CNN reports. The precautionary notice recommends customers "hold the product until we have more information." The snack maker is freezing inventory and pulling the products from shelves until the investigation of the outbreak is complete. More»

Interagency bumbling, lax regulations let problem go unaddressed

(NEWSER) - Mammoth meat packer Cargill recalled a whopping 36 million pounds of ground turkey last week, but federal officials knew of salmonella contamination at a Cargill plant dating back to last year, reports the Wall Street Journal . It seems that a USDA inspection turned up three instances of salmonella Heidelberg at Cargill's Arkansas plant in 2010, which were "brought to the attention of the facility"; federal regulations, however, allow up to 49.9% of tests to be positive as salmonella isn't considered a dangerous adulterant unless it causes death. Problem: The Heidelberg strain involved in the recall is antibiotic-resistant and can be fatal. More»

Huge pistachio recall issued after salmonella found at processor

(NEWSER) - Consumers have been warned to steer clear of pistachios and any product containing them until the FDA probes the extent of salmonella contamination, reports WebMD. A million pounds of possibly tainted pistachios from a California processor have been recalled and authorities expect that more recalls will follow. Affected products range from trail mix to ice cream. More»