By Wayne Allen

PDT Staff Writer

The Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) on Thursday has voluntarily recalled all peanuts and peanut products processed at its Blakely, Ga. facility since Jan. 1, 2007. The company has recalled peanut butter and peanut paste. The ongoing concern has prompted the company to expand its recall.

PCA does not sell its products to individuals but sells them to institutional and industrial users in large institutions.

The company has expanded its recalled products acting in caution and under the advisement of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The expanded recall comes after two weeks of inspections and review at the PCA Georgia facility.

The expanded recall includes all peanuts (dry and oil roasted), granulated peanuts, peanut meal, peanut butter and peanut paste. All of the recalled peanuts and peanut products were made only at the company’s Blakely, Georgia facility.

PCA has for weeks been at the center of an FDA investigation into a national salmonella outbreak. An estimated 500 people have reported being sick since September and November.

According to the FDA, salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems.

FDA also explains some recalled peanut products have been used by manufactures of pet food, salmonella can potentially be transferred to people handling the pet food in question.

They explain that pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Well animals can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

To view a complete list of recalled items visit www.fda.gov

The Blakely, Georgia facility has stopped producing all peanut products.

The Hershey’s Company has stated, “No products made by The Hershey Company, including items and brands in the iconic Reese’s franchise, are affected by the recall of items produced by the Peanut Corporation of America. Hershey does not purchase any peanut butter, peanuts or peanut products from the Peanut Corporation of America. Peanut butter for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is made in Hershey facilities under the most stringent safety and quality standards.”