During the early weeks in January of the New Year, many Americans made a resolution to lose weight, get into shape, and cut out all sweets in their diets.
This declaration of fitness, however, was quite possibly made easier by the growing number of peanut butter products recalled due to a salmonella outbreak at a Georgia plant.
Luckily, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the source of the Salmonella Typhimurium contamination has been traced, “to a plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which manufactures both peanut butter that is institutionally served in such settings as long-term care facilities and cafeterias, and peanut paste—a concentrated product consisting of ground, roasted peanuts—that is distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in many commercially produced products including cakes, cookies, crackers, candies, cereal and ice cream.”
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Georgia plant is currently under, “federal criminal investigation over salmonella-contaminated products that sickened more than 500 people in 43 states and killed eight.”
At Middletown High School, students regularly enjoy peanut butter items for lunch, either brought from home or purchased in the cafeteria. With the growing number of recalled items, currently totaling nearly 800, students at MHS and Americans alike have reason to take caution before enjoying a peanut butter snack.
In the Frederick County Public School system, however, students health and safety is regarded as the utmost importance.
Food Services Officer for FCPS Cheri Dattoli commented on the county’s response to the recall by saying, “FCPS responds by following all the specific guidance sent to us by MSDE and USDA, especially if it involves any food offered to students through the breakfast and lunch programs and the ala carte programs.”
In addition, FCPS “follows all guidance given to us by the vendors who supply us with other food that is not offered through the USDA commodity program,” said Dattoli.
Despite the long list of recalled items, FCPS has no reason to believe that any of the contaminated products have been served to students while in school.
In addition, the only peanut butter product sold in Frederick County Schools is Smucker’s Uncrustable Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, which are pre-packaged.
FCPS received word from the vendor selling the sandwiches, assuring it that the peanut butter used is not sold from the Peanut Corp. of America plant in Blakely, Georgia, which was the source of the salmonella outbreak.
However, if such an unlikely event were to occur and contaminated items were sold to students, FCPS would take every provision to ensure that students and parents were notified.
If a recalled item was sold through the school system, FCPS would send out notices to school principals and inform parents by contacting Dian Nelson to send out a Find Out First email, posting word on the local FCPS TV channel. In addition, local media outlets would be used to get the word out.
While FCPS is still positive that no contaminated products will be sold to students, it is still acting, “very carefully and will work with the Frederick County Health Department on issues that we or they feel are necessary and must be addressed,” said Dattoli.
