Palmer Candy Company Announces A Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Peanut Clusters and Bridge Mix

CONTACT: PALMER CANDY COMPANY 800-831-0828.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — SIOUX CITY, IOWA (FEBRUARY 5, 2009) – PALMER CANDY COMPANY, IS VOLUNTARILY RECALLING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS BECAUSE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTAIN SALMONELLA.  THIS RECALL APPLIES ONLY TO THE LISTED CODE DATES.

PEANUT CLUSTERS

CODES ARE PRINTED ON THE BACK OF EACH BAG

BRIDGE MIX

CODES ARE PRINTED ON THE BACK OF EACH BAG

THE BAGGED PRODUCTS WERE SHIPPED NATIONWIDE TO CONVENIENCE STORE AND GROCERY STORE ACCOUNTS.  THE BULK PRODUCTS WERE SHIPPED TO IL, IN, IA, NE, MO, OK, KY, MN, NC, SD, WI, KS, CA TO GROCERY STORES AND WHOLESALE ACCOUNTS.

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.

THE PALMER CANDY COMPANY INITIATED THE VOLUNTARY RECALL IN RESPONSE TO A RECALL ISSUED BY ZACHERY CANDY, A SUPPLIER OF SOME OF THE PEANUT CLUSTERS AND BRIDGE MIX FOR PALMER CANDY COMPANY.  ZACHERY CANDY HAS INDICATED THAT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE EXPANDED RECALL BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA (PCA). PCA’S EXPANDED RECALL NOW INCLUDES ALL PEANUTS AND PEANUT-RELATED PRODUCTS FROM PCA’S BLAKELY, GEORGIA, PLANT FROM JANUARY 2007 TO PRESENT. THE FDA IS INVESTIGATING AN OUTBREAK OF SALMONELLA TARGETED AT PCA’S BLAKELY PLANT.

PALMER CANDY HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY CONSUMER ILLNESS COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH ITS PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, IT IS TAKING PRECAUTIONARY STEPS, INCLUDING REMOVING THE IMPACTED PRODUCTS FROM RETAIL STORE SHELVES AND THE ENTIRE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

CONSUMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THE RECALLED PRODUCTS SHOULD RETURN THEM TO THE STORE WHERE THEY WERE PURCHASED FOR A FULL REFUND. CONSUMERS WITH ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS MAY CALL 800-831-0828.