Nature's Path Announces an Expanded Recall of Peanut Butter Optimum Energy Bars

CONTACT: MARIA EMMER-AANES, NATURE’S PATH                   MARIA@NATURESPATH.COM/604.248.8856 JESSICA VITALE, ZENO GROUP JESSICA.VITALE@ZENOGROUP.COM/310.566.2285

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — JANUARY 31, 2009 — DUE TO THE EXPANDED RECALL OF PEANUT BUTTER CORPORATION’S PEANUT BUTTER PRODUCTS ON JANUARY 28TH, NATURE’S PATH ORGANIC FOODS OF RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA ANNOUNCES AN EXPANDED RECALL OF OPTIMUM ENERGY BARS PEANUT BUTTER FLAVOR, BECAUSE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA.  THE OPTIMUM ENERGY BARS PEANUT BUTTER FLAVOR WERE MANUFACTURED USING PEANUT BUTTER RECALLED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICAN BECAUSE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA.  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. 

PRODUCT WAS DISTRIBUTED IN THE U.S. AND CANADA THROUGH RETAIL STORES.

AFFECTED PRODUCTS AS OF JANUARY 30, 2009 INCLUDE: OPTIMUM ENERGY BARS PEANUT BUTTER FLAVOR BEST BEFORE 01OCT09A, BEST BEFORE 03FEB09B, AND BEST BEFORE 29APR09B SOLD IN 2 OZ (56 G) INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED BAR WITH UPC CODE OF 0 58449 77715 .   

CONSUMERS WHO HAVE AN OPTIMUM ENERGY BAR PEANUT BUTTER FLAVOR WITH ONE OF THESE EXPIRATION DATES SHOULD RETURN IT TO THE RETAIL STORE WHERE THEY PURCHASED IT FOR A FULL REFUND. IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THEY SHOULD CALL THE NATURE’S PATH CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AT 1-866-880-7284. 

NO ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN CONNECTION WITH OPTIMUM ENERGY BARS.  NO OTHER NATURE’S PATH PRODUCTS ARE BEING RECALLED.  THE PEANUT BUTTER IN ALL OTHER NATURE’S PATH PRODUCTS IS SOURCED FROM GOLDEN BOY FOODS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, WHICH IS IN NO WAY INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION.

“WE AT NATURE’S PATH ARE COMMITTED TO PRODUCING EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCTS AND HOLD THE HEALTH OF OUR CUSTOMERS, ALONG WITH QUALITY AND FOOD SAFETY, AS OUR TOP PRIORITIES,” SAID ARRAN STEPHENS, FOUNDER AND CEO OF NATURE’S PATH.  “WE ARE ISSUING THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS.”