Peanut Products Recall
On March 23, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked Irvington, N.J.-based Westco Fruit and Nut Co., Inc. (Westco/Westcott) to voluntarily recall all of its products containing peanuts from PCA because of the contamination threat. Westco/Westcott refused. On April 8, 2009, the FDA served Westco/Westcott with an inspection warrant in an attempt to gain access to the company’s distribution records.
FDA/CDC Recommendations
Consumers
- Consumers are urged to check FDA’s web site to determine which products have been recalled and will be recalled in the coming days.
Any product that is on the recall list should be disposed of in a safe manner. Consumers are also urged to wash their hands after handling potentially contaminated products. - If consumers are unsure whether a peanut-containing product is potentially contaminated, they should avoid consuming it or feeding it to their pet until they obtain more information regarding the product.
- Persons who think they may have become ill from eating peanut products are advised to consult their health care providers.