Orchard Valley Harvest Recalls Peanuts – Salmonella

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CONTACT: JOHN SNIFFEN 209-521-1701 X102

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MODESTO, CA – JANUARY 29, 2009 — ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST INITIATED A NATIONWIDE VOLUNTARY RECALL OF CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC PEANUTS ROASTED AND PACKED FOR SAFEWAY BECAUSE THE PRODUCT MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA. PRODUCT WAS SOURCED FROM PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA.

SALMONELLA IS AN ORGANISM WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES FATAL INFECTIONS IN YOUNG CHILDREN, FRAIL OR ELDERLY PEOPLE, AND OTHERS WITH WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS. HEALTHY PERSONS INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA OFTEN EXPERIENCE FEVER, DIARRHEA (WHICH MAY BE BLOODY), NAUSEA, VOMITING AND ABDOMINAL PAIN. IN RARE CIRCUMSTANCES, INFECTION WITH SALMONELLA CAN RESULT IN THE ORGANISM GETTING INTO THE BLOODSTREAM AND PRODUCING MORE SEVERE ILLNESSES SUCH AS ARTERIAL INFECTIONS (I.E., INFECTED ANEURYSMS), ENDOCARDITIS AND ARTHRITIS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SALMONELLA, PLEASE VISIT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION’S WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.CDC.GOV.

PRODUCT WAS PACKED IN 2-5 LB BAG PACKS AND SOLD TO SAFEWAY GROCERY STORES FOR SALE IN BULK BY WEIGHT, IN “NUT HUT” KIOSKS IN VARIOUS U.S. STORES THROUGHOUT THE NATION. ALL LOTS OF THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS ARE IMPACTED BY THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL.

ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST HAS TAKEN THESE STEPS FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURER THAT IT MAY POSSIBLY BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA. ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST HAD PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED THE RECALL OF ORGANIC BARK PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES AND CREAM ON JANUARY 22ND, 2009. NO OTHER ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST PEANUT PRODUCTS OR PRODUCTS CONTAINING PEANUTS ARE CURRENTLY SUBJECT TO THE RECALL.

WHILE NONE OF THE ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST BRAND PRODUCT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CONTAMINATED NOR LINKED TO ANY ILLNESS, ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST HAS REMOVED THIS PRODUCT WHILE THE FDA CONTINUES ITS INVESTIGATION TO VERIFY THE SOURCE OF A NATIONWIDE OUTBREAK.

ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST REQUESTS THAT CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT DESTROY THE PRODUCT OR RETURN THE PRODUCT TO THEIR LOCAL STORES.  CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST FOR A FULL REFUND AT 209-521-1701. CONSUMERS WITH QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH SHOULD CONTACT THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. IF SYMPTOMS ARE PRESENT, PLEASE VISIT A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OR GO TO A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM.