The Centers for Disease Control and prevention, or CDC, is investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup that has sickened at least four persons in four states. Along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has jurisdiction over the production and sale of peanut and nut butters in the U.S., the CDC has been collaborating with state health organizations to investigate this multistate outbreak. As early as Wednesday this week, preliminary results led investigators to name nSpired Natural Foods, Inc. as the likely source. The victims, even though in different states, were linked to a single source of Salmonella Braenderup using PulseNet, the subtyping network of state health and food regulation agencies that upload the identifying properties of salmonella identified in victims’ stool tests. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, the CDC conducted further analysis and was able to say, conclusively, that these victims were all poisoned by the same genetic strain of Salmonella Braenderup, pointing to a single source. Then, through intensive trace-back techniques, the common source was determined to be almond and peanut butters from nSpired.
As of Wednesday, August 20th, a total of four victims had been confirmed in four states – dating back to January, 2014. The victims include one victim in each of Connecticut, Iowa, Tennessee, and Texas, with the first victim becoming sick on January 22nd and the latest being identified on May 16th. The youngest victim is only 3 years old, while the eldest is 83 years old. Three of the victims are women, and one victim has been hospitalized with salmonellosis.
Salmonella Braenderup Identified at Oregon Production Facility
According to the FDA, routine inspections of nSpired Natural Foods production facility in Ashland, Oregon resulted in isolation of Salmonella Braenderup – PFGE testing confirmed the isolated Salmonella Braenderup was genetic match to the outbreak strain that has now infected at least four victims. The FDA isolated this strain of Salmonella Braenderup in both January and July of 2014, indicating contamination of nSpired product remained a very real possibility six months after the bacteria was initially identified. In confirmation, discussions with the three adult victims confirmed that nSpired almond or peanut butters were consumed by the victims in the days leading up to their illnesses.
Salmonella attorney Ron Simon, who has represented thousands of salmonella victims including many hundreds affected by salmonella in peanut butter, says the danger here is real. “The problem with peanut butter,” Simon stated, “is that it has a longer shelf life than many other food items, and salmonella can last a long time in unopened packages of peanut butter or refrigerated jars of peanut butter, meaning that the illnesses are often spread out over months, like we have seen here.” Ron Simon encourages anyone who has become ill after eating one of the recalled products to immediately seek medical attention, especially in the case of the very young and elderly Americas, or individuals with a compromised immune system. Proper diagnosis is the first step toward recovery and protecting any legal rights you might have.
