The Food and Drug Administration recently traced a source of Salmonella to a plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which manufactures peanut butter for institutional use and peanut paste used as an ingredient by food manufacturers. PCA voluntarily expanded its recall of peanut butter yesterday to include a recall of the peanut paste made at its Blakely, Ga., facility, because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

In a press release, PCA said that it is notifying customers that may have received the recalled product by phone or in writing. PCA urged customers to segregate and hold the product and to call PCA at 877-564-7080 for further instructions. The PCA press release containing the expanded list of affected products is posted online at www.idfa.org.

In addition, FDA has revised its website information to include the following statement: "For information on products containing peanut butter from companies not listed, you may wish to consult the company's website or call the toll-free number on the package. Information you may receive from the companies has not been verified by FDA."

IDFA and the Grocery Manufacturers Association are urging all members who make products containing peanut butter to have appropriate information posted on their websites. IDFA and GMA also recommend preparing messages for employees who answer member company toll-free numbers with respect to whether products do or do not contain peanut butter from Peanut Corporation of America, and with regard to products being recalled, specific information on product type, lot code and container size.

FDA is continually updating information on this issue on its website at www.fda.gov. Members are encouraged to check the site periodically for further information.

IDFA will continue to monitor the situation and will provide additional information as appropriate. Members with questions may contact Clay Detlefsen, IDFA vice president of regulatory affairs, at cdetlefsen@idfa.org, or Connie Tipton, IDFA president and CEO, at ctipton@idfa.org.