Peanut butter collection to go on despite salmonella scare

Jonathan Menard/Herald-Guide

Even with the recent salmonella scare, peanut butter will still be collected at both the Luling and Des Allemands parades. According to the FDA, none of the major brands of peanut butter have been affected.

The recent salmonella outbreak won’t put the brakes on a St. Charles Parish Mardi Gras tradition - the collection of jars of peanut butter.

“The peanut butter collection is a vital part of the St. Charles Social Concerns food pantry, and therefore, we will still be holding this event at the Krewe of Lul and Krewe of Des Allemands parades this weekend,” Pam Norfleet, St. Charles Parish Hospital’s director of marketing, said. “According to the FDA, as of Feb. 15, the list of recalled products does not include the major brands of peanut butter.”

Peanut butter products that are on the recall list include: Cliff Bars, ‘Nut Hut’ Kiosks, American Almond, Fresh Direct, Grande Gourmet, King Nut, Poco Pac, Parnell’s Pride, Peanut Corporation of America and Vitamin Cottage.

The suspect peanut butter comes from the Peanut Corporation of America’s processing plant in Blakely, Ga., and was made after June 30, 2008. The peanut butter was sold in bulk, under PCA’s name, Parnell’s Pride or King Nut.

The peanut butter recall has become one of the largest recalls ever, and even expands to products derived from the PCA plant. There are allegations that the plant was aware of the tainted products before distributing them, and federal investigators discovered problems like roaches and mold at the plant.

Eating these recalled items could cause salmonella, which is a bacteria that causes an infection in the lining of the small intestine. Unsanitary food preparation conditions or equipment can lead to food contamination.

Those suffering from salmonella commonly experience abdominal pain or cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and muscle pain.

Symptoms usually subside in two to five days.

This will be the seventeenth year that peanut butter will be collected at the parades. The first year, 40 jars were donated. Last year, 500 jars and $560 were raised at the parades.