The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with CDC and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg infections linked to certain Jif peanut butter products produced at the J.M. Smucker Company facility in Lexington, Kentucky.
The product is also available in the State of Israel, imported by the Randi Inc. company.
A review of epidemiological information by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that five out of five people reported consuming peanut butter and four of the five people specifically reported consuming different varieties of Jif brand peanut butter prior to becoming ill, the FDA said.
FDA conducted Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis on an environmental sample collected at the Lexington, KY, J.M. Smucker Company facility in 2010. The analysis shows that this 2010 environmental sample matches the strain causing illnesses in this current outbreak.
Epidemiologic evidence indicates that Jif brand peanut butter produced in the J.M. Smucker Company facility located in Lexington, KY, is the likely cause of illnesses in this outbreak.
J.M. Smucker Company has voluntarily recalled certain Jif brand peanut butter products that have the lot code numbers between 1274425 – 2140425, only if the first seven digits end with 425 (manufactured in Lexington, KY).
FDA’s investigation is ongoing and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers are being warned not to eat, sell, or serve any recalled Jif brand peanut butter.
For Consumers
Follow these steps:
- Check if you have Jif peanut butter in your home.
Locate the lot code on the back of the jar, under the Best If Used By Date (the lot code may be next to the Best If Used By Date for cups or squeeze pouches). - In the lot code, if the first four digits are between 1274 and 2140, and if the next three numbers after that are ‘425’, this product has been recalled and you should not consume this product. An example is below.
- If you are unsure what to do with your recalled product, you can call or email J.M. Smucker Company for more information:
The J.M. Smucker Co. Hotline: 800-828-9980
Website: jif.com/contact-us
FDA recommends that if you have used the recalled Jif brand peanut butter that have lot code numbers 1274425 through 2140425 and the first seven digits end with 425, you should wash and sanitize surfaces and utensils that could have touched the peanut butter. If you or someone in your household ate this peanut butter and have symptoms of salmonellosis, please contact your healthcare provider.
In Israel:
Israel’s Health Ministry has announced that contaminated 1.8 kg jars of Jif peanut butter were imported to Israel.
Barcode: 051500243312, expiration Nov 8, 2023
In theory, “the product is sold in Israel solely to the institutional market,” the Health Ministry said. However, forewarned is forearmed: don’t use it, and call the import company (Randi Inc.) at 1-800-260-265 to return the product if you happen to have it.
For Retailers, Re-packers, and Manufacturers:
In addition to the steps above, FDA recommends referring to the firm’s recall press for the UPC codes and other retailer information. Do not sell or serve recalled peanut butter or products containing recalled peanut butter.
