Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

We don't eat alot of peanut butter but of course, now that I know I shouldn't have it, I want it!

The instructions on my jars of Costco's 'organic" peanut butter say "refrigerate." We do.

I buy organic, locally made peanut butter so I won't be tossing mine. I do have to say that this is getting ridiculous though.

The ONLY peanut butter that has been implicated is peanut butter used in processed foods such as cookies, bars, cereals. No branded jar peanut butter is affected. The issue is poor sanitation at the plants that were making this peanut butter. It has nothing to do with the peanuts themselves. Stick to well known brands of peanut butter.

dhorst posted it earlier, but there is a list of company recalls available online, and some of the products include Health Valley Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars, Grreat Choice Dog Biscuit products, CLIF and LUNA bars, Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets, and an assortment of cookies from Trader Joe's.

cookingbooks was right: Just one more reason to get off our dependency on agri-business. According to this article, at least 491 people have been infected with salmonella poisoning, with seven deaths. To put it into perspective, the 2001 anthrax attacks killed five people, and infected 17.

Although I have seen the idea derided in the forums and elsewhere, President Obama needs to address food reform as urgently as he needs to address the issues of the economy, national security, the Iraq War, the situation in Afghanistan, health care and climate change. As Michael Pollan points out in his Farmer in Chief open letter, all of the issues Americans consider important all relate to our fractured food policy, with agribusiness using much of the fossil fuels the country imports, and contributing the lion's share of greenhouse gasses.

We've recently seen tomatoes, jalapenos, spinach and beef come under fire. Right now, it's peanut butter. Soon, it will be something else if the government doesn't begin action to change the state of agriculture and food manufacturing. I support those who have urged us to make our own peanut butter, or to buy from small businesses, but we all know a grandmother, a young niece, a little cousin who can't take matters into his or her own hands. It is for them, the ones who are most susceptible to being killed by food poisoning and for those already affected, we should instigate our elected officials to rebuild our food system.

Girl Scout cookies are OK. They do not use peanut butter from the specific producer that was found to be infected.

Not really at all. It's not something I use enough to even keep around the house.

I'm concurring with dhorst - I did have a bad case of salmonella a few years ago; I was tested and diagnosed. It's horrible - I was sick in bed for over a week; I contracted it at a restaurant.

What horrifies me is the number and variety of products that have been sickening people in just a few years. I hope the new administration in the US will make food an other product safety one of its priorities. Adding government inspectors would be a good use of taxpayer funds that would put people back to work.

I'm not throwing out the jar of Skippy in my refrigerator - I haven't heard anything bad about it.

All Lara bars and Clif bars with peanut butter in them have been recalled. Of course I just bought a bunch yesterday, THEN got home and read about it. Sigh.

what scares me the most is the fact that peanuts are used in so many things, as anyone with nut allergies can tell you, they sometimes seem like they are everywhere. Even though the jarred pb's for home use havent been recalled, I tossed mine and started roasting and grinding my own nut butters, I just cant take the chance. I'm glad everyone else feels confident, I've just spent to long trying to stay alive, and what may be just an inconvience to some people could kill me quite easily. Besides my own tastes better anyway. ;-)

@dmarina -- "tis the season for botulism!"
http://bittersoursalty.blogspot.com/

Perhaps that is more exciting for you, but sorry, it's just not for me.

And maybe you would like to comfort the families who may have lost loved ones due to this food bourne illness with, "EVERYONE has had to deal with foodbourne illness; that's the reality in this country presently."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-01-19-peanut-butter-problems_N.htm Lord knows that would have boosted my husband's spirits when I was hospitalized at 89 lbs on a 5'7" frame due to that whiney situation.

@floridayaya -- I agree with "most" nd also "appears. Sorry for whining here, but we have immuno compromised systems here, in particular my youngest son. A hospital stay is one thing I'd like to avoid for anyone. And so, I agree with @cookingbooks--it's time for a change.

@Butrflygirly--my youngest loves a grilled, crunchy Jiff peanutbutter sandwich. It's his idea of nirvana.

I LOVE my Peanut Butter!!! Will not give up my Jif! I currently have 2 jars open since I have to have creamy and extra crunchy at all times. You just never know which one you want, you know? :)

Good thing I don't have to worry.

@dhorst, don't be ridiculous. i'm not writing a term paper. and, are you saying that i am incorrect? i'd be happy to link to my sources if you'll stop your whining.
guess what? EVERYONE has had to deal with foodbourne illness; that's the reality in this country presently. i, too, have been afflicted with it and lost time working at the restaurant i was employed. i don't know what any of this has to do with me not quoting my source. here it is from my morning paper the other day:
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/01/18/peanut0118.html
now, let's move on to more exciting things.