Highland-Richland Health Foods Recalls Peanut Products

CONTACT: NATHAN LULL OR MIKE HARMON 509-783-7147

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — MARCH 2, 2009 — HIGHLAND HEALTH FOODS OF KENNEWICK, WA AND RICHLAND HEALTH FOODS OF RICHLAND, WA ARE RECALLING NINE PEANUT ITEMS:

RAW, ROASTED NO SALT, ROASTED & SALTED SPANISH PEANUTS; RAW, ROASTED NO SALT, ROASTED & SALTED BLANCHED PEANUTS; DRY ROASTED BLANCHED PEANUTS; DRY ROASTED PEANUT BUTTER SPLITS, AND FRESH GROUND PEANUT BUTTER,

BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA. THE EIGHT PEANUT PRODUCTS WERE MANUFACTURED USING PEANUT PRODUCTS RECALLED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICAN BECAUSE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA. 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.

THE RAW, ROASTED NO SALT, ROASTED & SALTED SPANISH PEANUTS; RAW, ROASTED NO SALT, ROASTED & SALTED BLANCHED PEANUTS; DRY ROASTED BLANCHED PEANUTS; DRY ROASTED PEANUT BUTTER SPLITS AND FRESH GROUND PEANUT BUTTER WERE DISTRIBUTED AT HIGHLAND HEALTH FOODS, KENNEWICK, WA AND RICHLAND HEALTH FOODS IN RICHLAND, WA. PRODUCTS ARE SOLD IN SELF SERVICE BULK FOOD DISPENSERS WITH THE FOLLOWING BIN NUMBERS:

ALL OF THE EIGHT LISTED PEANUT PRODUCTS WERE SOLD BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2009, AND ARE BEING RECALLED.

NO KNOWN ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DATE IN CONNECTION WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THE RECALL WAS INITIATED AFTER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PEANUT PRODUCT RECEIVED WAS MANUFACTURED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA. HIGHLAND/RICHLAND HEALTH FOODS HAS INFORMED FDA OF ITS ACTIONS AND IS FULLY COOPERATING WITH THE AGENCY.

CONSUMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED ANY OF THE PRODUCTS PRIOR TO JANUARY 31, 2009 ARE URGED TO RETURN IT TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR A FULL REFUND. CONSUMERS WITH QUESTIONS MAY CONTACT NATHAN LULL OR MIKE HARMON AT 509-783-7147, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 10:00 AM TO 5:00 PM (PST), FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.