Sunland’s peanut butter plant in New Mexico, which has been linked to a salmonella outbreak in the US, remains idle as the management waits for federal clearance to begin operations.
Sunland suspended the operations of the plant and initiated a clean-up process in September, after Salmonella was identified in peanut butter, which was made for Trader Joe's brand.
Following this, the company initiated a voluntary recall of its products. Nearly 41 illnesses across 20 states in the US have been associated with the consumption of the product, reported Businessweek.com.
Sunland spokeswoman Katalin Coburn said that the company cannot announce the schedule of the recommencement of operations and added that the officials are waiting for clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause Salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common manifestations of Salmonellosis are diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.
