Yoke's Fresh Markets Recalls Raw Spanish Peanuts

CONTACT: JOHN BOLE                     YOKE’S FOODS, INC. (509) 921-2292 [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — MARCH 23, 2009 — YOKE’S FRESH MARKETS IS RECALLING THEIR RAW SPANISH PEANUTS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA.  THE RAW SPANISH PEANUTS WERE RECALLED BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA BECAUSE THEY HAVE 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 PEANUTS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO FOUR YOKE’S FRESH MARKET STORES: MEAD AND NORTH FOOTHILLS IN SPOKANE, EAST SPRAGUE IN SPOKANE VALLEY AND SANDPOINT, IDAHO FROM JULY 18, 2008 THROUGH MARCH 16, 2009. EAST SPRAGUE AND SANDPOINT WERE THE ONLY TWO STORES WITH PRODUCT ON THE SHELVES AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL NOTIFICATION. NO OTHER YOKE’S FRESH MARKET STORES CARRIED THE PRODUCT DURING THE RECALL.

THE RAW SPANISH PEANUTS WERE SOLD AS A BULK PRODUCT IN THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT.  AS THE PRODUCT WAS BULK, THERE IS NO CODE OR LABELING AVAILABLE.

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

CONSUMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED RAW SPANISH PEANUTS ARE URGED TO RETURN THEM TO THE STORE FOR A FULL REFUND. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.FDA.GOV/OC/PO/FIRMRECALLS/PREMIER03_09.HTML  IF CONSUMERS HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RECALL, THEY SHOULD CONTACT THE FDA DIRECTLY, OR CONTACT YOKE FRESH MARKETS AT (509) 921-2292 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 8 AM TO 5 PM.