Jar of peanut butter, recall, could lead to source of widespread salmonella outbreak

A nationwide salmonella outbreak could be linked to an open jar of contaminated King Nut peanut butter, found at a nursing facility in Minnesota, along with a wide-ranging recall from the manufacturer.

On Saturday, King Nut Companies, based in Solon, Ohio, issued a voluntary recall on all its supplies of creamy peanut butter after an open jar of its product tested positive for salmonella bacteria.

Though there is a chance that cross-contamination could be to blame for the Minnesota positive test, investigators following reports of unresolved salmonella poisoning in 42 states hope it is a break in the case.

King Nut distributes its product exclusively to schools and hospitals and other institutional facilities. It sells no products directly to consumers.

The recall, announced by King Nut, involves all peanut butter distributed under its name and that of Peanut Corporation of America, of Lynchburg, Va. Also included is Parnell’s Pride peanut butter, manufactured by Peanut Corp.

At least 625 cases of salmonella poisoning have been reported in 47 states. All still are without a confirmed source.