How does peanut butter become infected with salmonella?

Answer 1

Peanut butter is made from peanuts- a favorite food for rodents, insects and birds. They will all get into the storage bins at every opportunity. From their droppings comes the salmonella bug. Ordinarily it's killed in the processing that turns the peanuts into peanut butter. In the case of the current outbreak, the bacterial contamination is making it's way into the peanut butter after the cooking process and the temperature has dropped to where the bacteria can live and reproduce. This might be from a contaminated piece of equipment filling the jars or the jars themselves. Once they are sealed, the bacteria inside has all the things it likes to keep on reproducing- moisture and food, and a nice room temperature. It's highly unusual to have it occur in peanut butter, but not entirely unknown. The companies that produce peanut butter are aware of the risk, which is why the peanut butter is made at such high temperatures. They also routinely test the product for contamination at the factory. I think it is highly likely that it is due to the jars, and simply didn't have enough time to grow enough to show up in the factory tests.

Answer 2

A production problem. Same as your veggies or salad can become infected with it if you mix utensils in the kitchen between raw meats and produce without proper washing of surfaces and utensils. Someone at the plant goofed on the line when it came to producing the product. Perhaps some egg or meat product was produced without proper sanitation protocol being followed before producing the peanut butter.

Answer 3

Salmonella is a bacteria that is carried amount other places on human hands. If the bacteria gets onto a surface that has: protien, water and light away it goes, multiplying out of control.
This is one way food poisoning occurs. Ohters are rodents and poor cleaning proceedures.

Answer 4

Remember...more than likely other things are produced at the same plant...especially being the plant carries 2 labels we know of for sure.

The other label, Great Choice, I think...carries lots of different items...so any of that could've transmitted the salmonella to the PB line.

Answer 5

your talking about the peter pan peanut butter having salmonella right? Lol maybe they have used egg whites as a ingredient in the peanut butter.. I was wonderin too lol

Answer 6

Either a person or a rat crapped on it in the processing or storage facility.

Also, yeah, look for egg in the ingredients. I'd be surprised if they put this in there, but thanks guy above!

Answer 7

they don't know exactly, but they've said it's probably because of dirty equipment or jars.