Skippy Peanut Butter Spread Recalled Over Possible Salmonella Contamination

March 6, 2011— -- The manufacturer of Skippy peanut butter issued a recall yesterday of Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread, saying that jars of the product issued in 16 states may be contaminated with salmonella.

"Unilever United States, Inc. today announced a limited recall of Skippy® Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy® Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread," read the company's press release, "because it may be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that 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."

The affected products, packaged in 16.3 ounce plastic jars, are:

According to a release announcing the recall, the affected jars were delivered to stores in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

No illnesses linked to the potentially tainted peanut butter have been reported so far, the release said.

Consumers who have purchased the potentially tainted peanut butter are urged to discard the jars and contact the company for a replacement coupon at 1-800-453-3432.

An internal routine sampling initiated by Unilever led to the discovery that some of the jars of the finished product contained the bacteria, the release said.