Peanut Butter Recall 2012: Products Now Being Recalled From 2 Years Ago

Sunland Inc., the company said to be the source of a widespread Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut butter products has now expanded its recall list back two years.

The products were all produced at one plant in Portales, New Mexico and sold under various brand names.

Initially, the recalled featured items manufactured between May 1 and Sept. 24. The Riverfront Times is saying the company is now recalling every product that has been manufactured in Portales since March 2010. That means consumers should discard or return any products with a sell-by date of March 1, 2011 or later, the article says.

The list of stores with the recalled products expanded from Trader Joe's to Whole Foods, GNC and Target last week.

On its website, Joe's said "at this time the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state health agencies are continuing to investigate the links between these products and reported illnesses. Trader Joe's is fully cooperating with these authorities because there is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers and crew, and the quality of our products."

The recalled almond and peanut butters were manufactured between May 1 and Sept. 24. Sunland, Inc. is the manufacturer of the peanut and almond butter, which are sold under a variety of brand names, including Target's Archer Farms brand and Earth Balance, according to Patch.

Symptoms of Salmonella include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. Typically, illness passes after four to seven days. In rare cases, Salmonella has been known to produce arthritis, endocarditis, and arterial infections. People infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Sunland has established a 24-hour, toll-free line that customers can use to contact the company for information about the recall: 1-866-837-1018.

Click here for a full list of recalled products.