Salmonella Outbreak in Georgia Migrates North To Canada

Unfortunately, a touch of paranoia is becoming a must-have accessory in your toolbox for survival nowadays. When I first reported the salmonella outbreak in the peanut-processing plant in Georgia, USA; I mentioned my reluctance to believe the platitudes about the outbreak being confined to the US.

Late Monday, just days after word broke about the contamination, the Canadian Food Inspection agency issued a statement warning the public not to consume a series of snack foods sold in Canadian stores. Even though the contaminated peanut butter was supposed to be for institutional use only; it appears these products could contain peanut butter tainted with salmonella. My question is: How did peanut butter that was destined for sale for institutional use only – not for grocery-store items – end up in grocery-store items in Canada?

Major companies such as Kellogg’s have recalled products. The CFIA's warning involves nationally distributed peanut butter snacks by Hebert's Fully Loaded, Nature's Path Organic Optimum, Clif Bar and Lurabar.

One Canadian living in New Brunswick has fallen ill; however, he is a person known to frequent the United States. It is assumed he likely consumed an infected product while there.

As to whether the outbreak has hit Canada yet, the statistics are: 47 Americans and one disputed New Brunswicker. Only time will tell.