The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently issued food recalls because of salmonella fears, and these recalls cover both peanut butter and almond butter. According to the official notice on the food recalls there are concerns about salmonella contamination, and this bacteria can cause everything from minor symptoms to serious illness which can be life threatening in some cases. The brands involved with the salmonella fears are Trader Joe’s and MaraNatha, and the products were widely distributed and sold across Canada. The public is asked to make sure that they do not have these products in their cupboards, and if the products are found they should either be thrown out or returned back to the store where they were originally purchased.
The food recalls were issued in Canada after the USA issued food recalls due to salmonella fears after the United States Food and Drug Administration performed testing on the recalled products. So far no one in Canada has reported using the products and becoming sick but there were 4 cases of illness in the USA from the peanut butter and almond butter. Salmonella fears are well founded because this bacteria can be devastating for certain groups who are more susceptible. These groups include anyone who has a compromised or weakened immune system, women who are pregnant, younger children, older individuals, and anyone with serious medical conditions. If you are healthy and you are exposed to salmonella you may get a headache and body aches, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and severe stomach cramps.