Rio Pluma Recalls Peanut Products Because They May be Contaminated with Salmonella

CONTACT: MICHAEL SMITH PH: 530-846-5200 X 2205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — MARCH 4, 2009 — RIO PLUMA LLC, A DIVISION OF STAPLETON SPENCE PACKING COMPANY LOCATED AT 1900 HWY 99, GRIDLEY, CA. 95948 IS RECALLING VARIOUS PEANUT PRODUCTS.

THE PRODUCT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA, 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.

RECALLED PRODUCTS WERE SOLD ONLY IN CASE QUANTITIES AS INDICATED BELOW AND THEY WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, HAWAII, AND IDAHO. &NBSP;LOT NUMBERS OF THE PRODUCTS LISTED ARE LOCATED ON EACH PACKAGE AND/OR CASE AND INCLUDE 07001 THROUGH 09056. LOT NUMBERS ARE FORMATTED WITH THE FIRST TWO NUMBERS BEING THE YEAR (07 FOR 2007, 09 FOR 2009).&NBSP; THE REMAINING THREE NUMBERS ARE THE JULIAN DATE (DAY OF THE YEAR).&NBSP;

ITEM	PACK SIZE	&NBSP;UPC	BRAND
PEANUTS &NDASH; HONEY ROASTED FOIL BAG	3/2#	21979-213512	STAPLETON
PEANUTS &NDASH; BLANCHED R/S FOIL BAG	3/2#	21979-212652	STAPLETON
PEANUTS -DRI RSTD N/SALT FOIL BAG	3/2#&NBSP;	21979-212744	STAPLETON
PEANUTS BLANCHED RAW BULK	25#	21979-51225	STAPLETON
PEANUTS – GRANULATED FOIL BAG	3/2# &NBSP;	74865-88600	SYSCO CLASSIC
PEANUTS &NDASH; RAW FOIL BAG	3/2# &NBSP;	74865-868631&NBSP;	SYSCO CLASSIC
PEANUTS -DRI RSTD N/SALT FOIL BAG	3/2#	&NBSP;74865-320617	SYSCO CLASSIC
PEANUTS -DRI RSTD N/SALT FOIL BAG	3/2# &NBSP;	74865-320617	SYSCO CLASSIC
MIXED NUT TOPPINGS W/PEANUTS FOIL BAG&NBSP;	&NBSP;3/2#	74865-320570	SYSCO CLASSIC
PEANUTS BLANCHED OIL R/S	6/#5 CAN&NBSP;	74865-104460	SYSCO CLASSIC
MIXED NUTS R/S W/PEANUTS	6/#5 CAN &NBSP;	74865-104484	SYSCO CLASSIC
PEANUTS DRY-ROASTED BLANCHED	6/#5 CAN&NBSP;	21979-21329	STAPLETON
PEANUTS GRANULATED	6/2.5# &NBSP;	21979-212447	STAPLETON
PEANUTS GRANULATED	6/3.5#	21979-212454	&NBSP;STAPLETON
MIXED NUT TOPPINGS&NBSP; W/PEANUTS	6/3.5# &NBSP;	21979-212966&NBSP;&NBSP;	STAPLETON
PEANUTS R/S BLANCED &NBSP;&NBSP;&NBSP;&NBSP;	6/4#	21979-21334	STAPLETON
PEANUTS GRANULATED	6/3.5# &NBSP;	44105-03099	NUGGET
MIXED NUT TOPPINGS&NBSP; W/PEANUTS	6/3.5#	44105-030883&NBSP;	NUGGET
PEANUTS R/S BLANCED	6/4# &NBSP;	44105-03091&NBSP;&NBSP;&NBSP;	NUGGET
MIXED NUT TOPPINGS W/PEANUTS FOIL BAG	3/2#	21979-212997	STAPLETON
MIXED NUTS R/S W/PEANUTS	6/4# DELUXE	44105-03077	NUGGET
MIXED NUTS R/S W/PEANUTS	6/4# DELUXE	21979-21325&NBSP;&NBSP;	STAPLETON

NO ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DATE. RIO PLUMA DISCONTINUED DISTRIBUTION OF THESE PRODUCTS IN RESPONSE TO A NATIONWIDE RECALL BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA OF PRODUCTS FROM ITS PROCESSING FACILITIES. RIO PLUMA LLC MAY HAVE RECEIVED SALMONELLA CONTAMINATED PRODUCT FROM PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA.

WE ARE ASKING OUR CUSTOMERS TO CONTACT US REGARDING THE RETURN AND DISPOSITION OF PRODUCT.&NBSP;

CONTACT INFORMATION:&NBSP; MICHAEL S. SMITH, SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGER RIO PLUMA LLC &NBSP;DIVISION OF STAPLETON SPENCE PACKING COMPANY PH: 530-846-5200 X 2205 AVAILABLE FROM 8:00 AM TO 4:30 PM PH: 530-682-5641 AVAILABLE 4:30 PM TO 7:30 AM

FOR THE MOST UPDATED LIST OF ALL THE PRODUCTS BEING RECALLED BECAUSE OF THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH THE RECALL BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA, PLEASE VISIT:
HTTP://WWW.FDA.GOV/OPACOM/7ALERTS.HTML