The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned consumers not to eat certain peanut butter products that have been imported from the US because of possible contamination with Salmonella.
Peanut butter produced by a US-based food company Sunland has been linked to an outbreak of strain of Salmonella known as Salmonella Bredeney. Sunland is currently recalling peanut butter and peanut-based products as well as other products containing nuts and seeds.
The initial recall in the US in September did not affect the UK market as the products were not distributed in Europe. However, since the recall has been widened, the US authorities have asked the European Commission to check if the affected products have been distributed in a number of member states, including the UK, according to the FSA.
While the products may not available in leading supermarkets in the UK, they might have been sold through the internet or through specialist shops that import American food products. The FSA has urged the US authorities to provide the distribution information. In the interim, it has asked the local authorities to check the businesses in their area that may have imported or sold the affected products, and remove any remaining products from sale.
The UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) is currently not aware of any cases of illness in the UK that may be associated with the outbreak.
