Kellogg Halts Sales of Peanut Butter Crackers
Jan. 16 -- THURSDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Cereal giant Kellogg has asked stores to stop selling its popular Keebler and Austin brand peanut butter crackers, as health officials reported two more deaths in the nationwide salmonella outbreak that is linked to peanut butter.
Kellogg, of Battle Creek, Mich., said it hadn't received any complaints or discovered any problems with the crackers, but took the action as a "precautionary measure" after one of its peanut paste suppliers, Peanut Corp. of America, announced a nationwide recall of peanut butter made in a Georgia plant.
The company is "removing product from retail store shelves and encouraging customers and consumers to hold and not eat these products until regulatory officials complete their investigation of PCA," a news release on the Kellogg Co. Web site said late Wednesday.
"We are taking these voluntary actions out of an abundance of caution," CEO David Mackay said in the news release.
The crackers are Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Crackers, Cheese and Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, and Peanut Butter-Chocolate Sandwich Crackers.
Meanwhile, health officials in Minnesota and Idaho said Wednesday that one death in each state had been linked to the outbreak, which has now sickened at least 430 people in 43 states. Another death in Minnesota and two in Virginia were confirmed Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.
Although their causes of death haven't been determined, all five adults had salmonella infection when they died. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the salmonella outbreak may have contributed to their deaths, the news service said.
Peanut Corp. of America, based in Lynchburg, Va., issued a recall Tuesday of 21 lots of peanut butter for possible salmonella contamination. The product was made at a plant in Blakely, Ga., on or after July 1, 2008, and sold under the brand name Parnell's Pride and by the King Nut Company as King Nut, the AP said.
