Georgia Peanut Commission Recalls 11 oz. and 4 lb. Cans of Skinless and Honey Roasted Peanut Product

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CONTACT: JOY CARTER 229-386-3690              JOYCARTER@GAPEANUTS.COM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –TIFTON, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 3, 2009 — THE GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION OF TIFTON, GA. IS RECALLING 11 OZ. AND 4 LB. CANS OF SKINLESS AND HONEY ROASTED PEANUT PRODUCT, BECAUSE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA, 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), ENDOCARDITIC AND ARTHRITIS.

THE CANNED PEANUT PRODUCT WAS DISTRIBUTED FROM THE GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION GIFT SHOP IN TIFTON, GA. THE PRODUCT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE FOLLOWING STATES: AL, AR, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, MA, MD, MI, MO, NE, NH, NY, PA, SC, TN, TX, WI, WV AND WASHINGTON, DC. THE PRODUCT INCLUDES THE WORDS "PACKED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA, BLAKELY, GA 31723." THE PRODUCT IS DISTRIBUTED IN A METAL VACUUM PACKED SEALED CAN LABELED GEORGIA PEANUTS.  THE PRODUCTS INCLUDE:

11 OZ. GEORGIA PEANUTS SKINLESS ROASTED 11 OZ. GEORGIA PEANUTS HONEY ROASTED 4 LB. GEORGIA PEANUTS SKINLESS ROASTED 4 LB. GEORGIA PEANUTS HONEY ROASTED

NO ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DATE. THE GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION INITIATED THE VOLUNTARY RECALL IN RESPONSE TO AN EXPANDED RECALL BY PCA. THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING AN ALLEGED SALMONELLA CONTAMINATION IN PEANUT BUTTER AND PEANUT PASTE PRODUCED AT PCA’S BLAKELY, GA. PLANT.  THE EXPANDED RECALL NOW INCLUDES ALL PEANUTS AND PEANUT-RELATED PRODUCTS PRODUCED AT THE PCA PLANT FROM JANUARY 2007 TO PRESENT.   THE COMPANY HAS CEASED THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE PRODUCT AS FDA AND THE COMPANY CONTINUES THEIR INVESTIGATION AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

CONSUMERS SHOULD RETURN ANY REMAINING PRODUCT TO THE GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION LOCATED AT 110 FOURTH STREET, EAST, TIFTON, GEORGIA 31793 FOR A FULL REFUND. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.GAPEANUTS.COM. CONSUMERS WITH QUESTIONS MAY CONTACT GPC AT 1-800-346-4993 OR 229-386-3470.