Bear Stewart Corporation Recalls Bear's Peanut Butter and Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies in All Sizes

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CONTACT: JASON BROOKS (773) 276-0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — FEBRUARY 2, 2009 – CHICAGO, IL BASED BEAR STEWART CORPORATION ANNOUNCES A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF BEAR’S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES AND BEAR’S VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DUE TO THE EXTENDED RECALL OF PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA’S BLAKELY, GEORGIA FACILITY, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF AN FDA INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THE RECENT SALMONELLA OUTBREAK.

THE RECALLED COOKIES MAY CONTAIN PEANUT BUTTER AND PEANUTS SUPPLIED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA. THERE ARE NO REPORTED ILLNESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES, WHICH WERE SOLD AT BAKERIES, RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES AND FOODSERVICE FACILITIES NATIONWIDE. INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ARE:

9740 PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE BATTER 18 LBS PAIL (UPC 68501 09740) 8741 PREFORMED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 1.0OZ/216CT (UPC 06850 18741) 9741 PREFORMED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 1.5OZ/216CT (UPC 68501 09741) 9742 PREFORMED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 2.5OZ/144CT (UPC 68501 09742) 9540 PREFORMED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 2.5OZ/144CT (UPC 68501 09540) 9743 PREFORMED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 3.5OZ/90CT (UPC 68501 09743) 9773 PREFORMED VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 3.5OZ/90CT (UPC 68501 09773)

RECALLED DATES ARE: JANUARY 1, 2007 THRU DECEMBER 4, 2008.

NO OTHER BEAR STEWART COOKIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

SALMONELLA IS AN ORGANISM WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES FATAL INFECTIONS IN YOUNG CHILDREN, THE FRAIL OR ELDERLY, 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 WWW.CDC.GOV (OR CALL 1-800-232-4636). FOR A LIST OF VARIOUS COMPANY RECALLS AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE FDA’S ONGOING INVESTIGATION, PLEASE VISIT THE FDA’S WEBSITE AT WWW.FDA.GOV.

THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF BEAR STEWART’S PRODUCTS ARE OF HIGHEST IMPORTANCE TO US. AS A RESULT, BEAR STEWART HAS DISCONTINUED USING PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA AND PARNELL’S PRIDE AS SUPPLIERS. CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED ANY OF THE AFFECTED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITHIN THE DATES MENTIONED ABOVE ARE ADVISED TO NOT CONSUME THESE ITEMS AND MAY RETURN THE ITEMS TO BEAR STEWART CHICAGO, IL. CUSTOMERS WITH ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THE RECALL MAY CONTACT JASON BROOKS AT (773) 276-0400 AS OF FEBRUARY 3, 2009. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS PRECAUTIONARY RECALL MAY CAUSE.