The recall of peanut products because of possible salmonella contamination has mushroomed into one of the largest.
The outbreak -- blamed on a company that produces only about 1 percent of the nation's peanut products -- has sickened at least 575 people in 43 states. At least eight have died. More than 1,300 foods that used ingredients from Peanut Corp. of America's peanut processing plant in Blakely, Ga., have been recalled. While the outbreak appears to be slowing down, new illnesses are still being reported.
You can check to see if you have any of the recalled peanut products on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site, where you can search by brand name, UPC code or product description.
Depending on how recalls are measured, few others come close. If counted by the number of products, more than 1,313 had been recalled as of Thursday.
The closest is the 1,177 pet food products recalled in 2007 after melamine was discovered in some ingredients.
If measured in pounds, the February 2008 recall of beef from a California packaging plant would top the list, with 143 million pounds affected.
Here's a breakdown of recent national food contaminations that triggered recalls and warnings to consumers:
January 2009: Peanuts, peanut paste, peanut butter. 1,313 products recalled for salmonella contamination. More than 575 illnesses and eight deaths reported.
June 2008: Tomatoes and raw jalapeno peppers. More than $100 million in crops affected because of salmonella contamination. More than 1,200 illnesses reported and no deaths.
February 2008: Beef. More than 143 million pounds affected after unfit, weak and sick cattle were slaughtered for human consumption. No illnesses or deaths reported.
March 2007: Pet food. 1,177 products recalled because of melamine contamination. No human illnesses or deaths reported, but more than 14,000 pet illnesses and 16 deaths.
September 2006: Spinach. More than $86 million in crops affected because of E. coli contamination. More than 200 illnesses and three deaths reported.
The first signs of the recent salmonella outbreak were detected in November by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But disease detectives initially were puzzled because some people who had gotten sick reported eating chicken, a common source of salmonella infections.
On Jan. 7 and 8, after discussions between federal and Minnesota authorities, the focus on peanut butter got stronger. On Jan. 8, the FDA visited an Ohio distributor for Peanut Corp. of America.
The next day federal inspectors were at the company's Blakely, Ga. facility, which ultimately was identified as the source of the food poisoning. That same day, Jan. 9, Minnesota health officials found salmonella in an open container of peanut butter made at the plant. On Jan. 10, Minnesota made a positive match to the salmonella strain that caused the outbreak.
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