Got peanut butter? - Off Duty, Military Health and Fitness - Navy Times

Got peanut butter?

Think twice before tossing that peanut-buttery mass of protein down your gullet. Thanks to the recent salmonella outbreaks from tainted peanut butter — responsible for several deaths, according to officials — you should exercise extreme caution with things like energy bars and nutrition supplements.

Clif Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars are among hundreds of products that are being recalled by health officials because of possible contamination. According to a release on their Web site, consumers of Clif and Luna bars that contain a “best by” or “sell by” date on the back are asked the destroy the products or return them for a refund.

“Rest assured, we are doing everything we can to address this situation,” it says. “Consumer safety is our number one priority.”

The Defense Department is warning troops to beware of peanut butter crackers in care packages from home as a federal investigation of the salmonella outbreak continues.

Defense Department spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said troops are being told to discard anything containing peanut butter. She advised the public to just leave out the suspicious snacks.

“Please be mindful that these crackers can be dangerous,” she said.

Last week, the American Forces Press Service circulated an article warning of the possibility of salmonella contamination. Smith said the story will be reprinted in base newsletters and posted to bulletin boards around the globe.

Federal authorities have traced the outbreak to a facility in Blakely, Ga. The outbreak has sickened 501 people in 43 states and is believed to have contributed to eight deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokeswoman Lola Russell. Russell said the CDC has been working with the military to spread the word to troops to avoid possibly tainted foods. Smith said there have been no reports of military personnel affected by the outbreak.

The Food and Drug Administration has listed on its Web site nearly 400 snack bars, cookies, ice creams and even pet foods voluntarily recalled due to possible exposure to the bacteria.

Lt. Andy Haggard, spokesman for the Mississippi National Guard, said he hopes the scare does not discourage anyone from sending care packages.

“It’s a little piece of home in a box,” he said. “There is nothing that beats that, be it from somebody you know quite well or someone you don’t know. I’ve seen guys get emotional over boxes of cookies,” he said. “You should be careful but hopefully it will not stop anybody from connecting with soldiers,” he said.

Lt. Col. Ron Tittle, spokesman for the Florida National Guard, said non-perishable items like calling cards and toiletries are always a good idea.

“You can’t go wrong with those,” he said. For info on the Clif recall, log on to www.clifbar.com/voluntary-recall. For a list of products believed to contain questionable peanut butter, visit http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm.