American Almond Products Company Recalls Several Products as Part of Salmonella Investigation

CONTACT: KEVIN BYRNE, FOOD SAFETY MANAGER 1-800-825-6663

AMERICAN ALMOND PRODUCTS COMPANY OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, IS RECALLING SELECTED LOTS OF AMERICAN ALMOND BRAND ROASTED GRANULATED PEANUTS, PEANUT BRITTLE CRUNCH, CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER, FRESHDIRECT BRAND HONEY ROASTED PEANUT BUTTER AND FRESHDIRECT BRAND CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER BECAUSE THE PRODUCTS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA. THIS ACTION IS A RESULT OF THE PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA (PCA) EXPANDED RECALL OF JANUARY 28, 2009 FOR ALL PEANUTS PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED IN THEIR BLAKELY, GEORGIA FACILITY SINCE JANUARY 1, 2007. THE PEANUT PRODUCTS BEING RECALLED WERE MANUFACTURED WITH PEANUTS MANUFACTURED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA (PCA).

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.

ROASTED GRANULATED PEANUTS, PEANUT BRITTLE CRUNCH, AND CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER WERE DISTRIBUTED TO CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS, RHODE ISLAND, AND PUERTO RICO.  FRESHDIRECT BRAND PEANUT BUTTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED FROM THEIR LONG ISLAND CITY, NY LOCATION.

THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS AND LOTS ARE UNDER RECALL:

AMERICAN ALMOND PRODUCTS BRAND ROASTED GRANULATED PEANUTS, 5 POUND CARTONS, LOT NO.050708-525001, UPC 717740505275; ROASTED GRANULATED PEANUTS, 10 POUND CARTONS, LOT NOS.031307-523001 THROUGH 010609-523001, UPC 717740505381; ROASTED GRANULATED PEANUTS, 30 POUND CARTONS, LOT NOS.041807-521001 THROUGH 011409-521001, UPC 717740505312; ROASTED GRANULATED PEANUTS, 4 POUND CANS, LOT NOS. 031307-529001 THROUGH 082108-529001, UPC 717740505350; PEANUT BRITTLE CRUNCH, 5 POUND CARTONS, LOT NOS. 091508-590001 THROUGH 120408-590001, UPC 717740806075; PEANUT BRITTLE CRUNCH, 10 POUND CARTONS, LOT NO. 101007-594001, UPC 717740806037; PEANUT BRITTLE CRUNCH, 30 POUND CARTONS, LOT NOS. 031207-590001 THROUGH 010809-590001, UPC 717740806020; CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER, 40 POUND PAILS, LOT NOS. 032907-586001 THROUGH 102308-586001, UPC 717740303093; FRESH DIRECT BRAND HONEY ROASTED PEANUT BUTTER, 16 OUNCE CONTAINERS, LOT NOS. 091808-588001 THROUGH 010509-588001, UPC FD0300777433; FRESH DIRECT BRAND CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER, 16 OUNCE CONTAINERS, LOT NOS. 091708-586001 THROUGH 010509-586001, UPC FD0300777435.

ROASTED GRANULATED PEANUTS AND PEANUT BRITTLE CRUNCH ARE PACKAGED IN POLYBAG-LINED CARDBOARD CARTONS, AND CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER IS PACKAGED IN WHITE 5 GALLON PAILS WITH LID.  FRESHDIRECT BRAND ITEMS ARE PACKAGED IN PRE-PRINTED TAMPER-EVIDENT PLASTIC TUBS WITH PLASTIC LIDS.  ALL ITEMS ARE PLAINLY LABELED WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPANY NAME AND LOGO, AS WELL AS THE PRODUCT NAME.  ALL PRODUCTS ARE ALSO TAGGED WITH A WHITE PAPER LABEL SHOWING THE DATE OF PRODUCTION (MMDDYY) AND A SIX-DIGIT PRODUCT CODE.

NO ILLNESSES RELATED TO ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DATE.

CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THESE AMERICAN ALMOND PRODUCTS BRAND PRODUCTS ARE URGED TO RETURN IT TO AMERICAN ALMOND PRODUCTS FOR A FULL REFUND.  CUSTOMERS WITH QUESTIONS MAY CONTACT AMERICAN ALMOND PRODUCTS AT 1-800-825-6663, MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8 AM – 4 PM.