Betty Lou's Inc. Expands Nationwide Recall Of Nut Butter Peanut Butter Protein Balls

CONTACT: BETTY LOU’S INC. 1-800-242-5205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — FEBRUARY 26, 2009 — BETTY LOU’S INC. OF MCMINNVILLE, OREGON IS EXPANDING THEIR CURRENT RECALL OF BETTY LOU’S NUT BUTTER PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA. THE 138,156 ADDITIONAL BALLS WERE MANUFACTURED USING PEANUT PRODUCTS RECALLED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA. 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 SERIOUS ILLNESSES SUCH AS ARTERIAL INFECTIONS (I.E., INFECTED ANEURYSMS), ENDOCARDITIS AND ARTHRITIS.

BETTY LOU’S NUT BUTTER PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS WERE DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY THROUGH RETAIL HEALTH FOOD STORES, WHOLESALERS AND DIRECT TO CUSTOMER SALES.

ALL NUT BUTTER PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS DISTRIBUTED FROM JANUARY 1, 2008 TO FEBRUARY 16, 2009  ARE INVOLVED IN THIS RECALL. POTENTIALLY AFFECTED PRODUCTS CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE FOLLOWING BEST BY DATES:

BEST BY 20SEP09 DATED PRODUCT WAS MADE WITH NUTS FROM A SEPARATE SUPPLIER NOT AFFECTED BY THIS OR ANY OTHER RECALL. ALL FURTHER PRODUCTION RUNS OF BETTY LOU’S NUT BUTTER PEANUT BUTTER BALLS WILL BE MADE USING THIS NEW SUPPLIER AND WILL NOT BE PART OF THIS RECALL.

THE BALLS ARE PACKAGED IN 1.7 OZ. PACKAGES IN 40 OR 70-COUNT PLASTIC JARS AND 18-COUNT PRINTED BOXES.

UPC CODING INDIVIDUAL PACKAGES: 0 16073 52143 4                                 40-COUNT JARS: 0 16073 52123 6 70-COUNT JARS: 0 16073 52103 8                                                 18 COUNT BOXES: 0 16073 52113 7

 NO KNOWN ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DATE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS PRODUCT. THE RECALL WAS INITIATED AFTER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PEANUTS USED TO COAT THE BALLS WERE MANUFACTURED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA. BETTY LOU’S INC. HAS INFORMED THE FDA OF ITS ACTIONS AND IS FULLY COOPERATING WITH THE AGENCY.

CONSUMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED BETTY LOU’S PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS WITH THE ABOVE CODE DATES ARE URGED TO RETURN THEM TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR A FULL REFUND. CONSUMERS WITH QUESTIONS MAY CONTACT BETTY LOU’S INC. AT 1-800-242-5205 BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (PST).