Salmonella recall expands to 76 peanut products.

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In continuing coverage, the Los Angeles Times (9/26, Hsu) reports that the peanut butter recall, which "started this past weekend with a salmonella-linked product sold at Trader Joe's has now been expanded to dozens of peanut, cashew and almond butters," according to Sunland Inc., which "manufactured and packaged the Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter." On Monday, the Portales, New Mexico-based company announced (pdf) that its "voluntary recall now also includes 76 varieties of almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini and roasted blanched peanut products."

        The Minneapolis Star Tribune (9/26, Walsh) adds that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tied the outbreak to rare strain "known as Salmonella bredeney." Federal health officials said the variation represents "just 0.06 percent of Salmonella cases nationwide in 2009." Meanwhile, the CDC is "coordinating a multi-state investigation with officials in the affected states" and with the Food and Drug Administration, which includes "determining whether additional products may be contaminated."

        Reuters (9/26, Simpson) notes that according to the CDC, health officials have thus far, only linked Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt the Salmonella outbreak. On Tuesday, the CDC said that 30 persons in 19 states have been reported as ill with the Salmonella Bredeney strain.

        The St. Paul Pioneer-Press (9/26, Snowbeck) adds that the CDC said that four of 30 people were hospitalized, but there have been no fatalities.

        NBC News (9/26, Aleccia) in its "Vitals" blog says the expanded recall includes Trader Joe's "Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds, Crunchy and Salted and Trader Joe's Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds, Crunchy and Salted." In addition, Sunland is recalling "peanut and almond products sold under popular brands including Archer's, Earth Balance, Fresh & Easy, Heinen's, Natural Value, Naturally More, Open Nature, Serious Food, Silly Prices, Sprout's and Sprouts Farmers Market, among others." The FDA "said it was especially important that young children, the elderly and those with weak immune systems avoid eating the potentially contaminated peanut or almond products."

        The Mobile (AL) Press-Register (9/26, Lord) reports that the recall applies to peanut and almond products with "a Best-If-Used-By date between May 1, 2013 and September 24, 2013." The CDC said the illness onset date was "June 11."

        The Oregonian (9/26, Terry) reports that a Sunland spokesperson said the company has "closed the plant while its specialists and experts from the Food and Drug Administration investigate."

        The Food Safety News (9/26) reports that according to the CDC the "number of ill people" in each state are: "Arizona (1), California (2), Connecticut (3), Illinois (1), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (3), Maryland (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), Nevada (1), New Jersey (2), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (2), Rhode Island (1), Texas (4), Virginia (1) and Washington (2)." Those who were "sickened range in age from less than one year old to 77 years, with a median age of 7"; and the agency said the "majority of victims - 66 percent - are children under the age of 10."

        Also covering the expanded recall and Salmonella outbreak are the Baltimore Sun (9/26, Walker), the West Central Tribune (MN) (9/26), the Knoxville (TN) News Sentinel (9/26) and the Akron (OH) Beacon Journal (9/26, Abraham). Blogs carrying the story include the Los Angeles Business Journal (9/26) in its "L.A. Biz" blog, NPR (9/26, Fulton) in its "The Salt" blog and the New Mexico Business Weekly (9/26, Scott, Subscription Publication) "Morning Edition" blog.