What You Need To Know About The Jif Peanut Butter Recall

If you're a fan of Jif peanut butter, it may be time to root through your pantry to make sure whatever you have handy won't actually make you sick.

 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) links the popular brand to a salmonella outbreak that's left at least 14 people ill across the U.S.; now J.M. Smucker Company (Jif's parent company) is recalling several peanut butter products in connection with the outbreak. The action is voluntary and is being carried out in collaboration with the FDA. 

A Jif representative told Today that the tainted products were sold in the U.S. and Canada, and came out of one manufacturing facility based in Lexington, KY. The company told Today via email: "Our teams mobilized quickly to coordinate a thorough investigation in collaboration with FDA and CFIA. This incident was isolated to our Lexington, KY, manufacturing facility and does not impact our other peanut-butter-producing facilities. In addition, there is no impact to Smucker's Uncrustables, Santa Cruz Organic or any other J.M. Smucker Co. Brand."

The FDA says the products all have lot numbers between 1274425 and 2140425; the"425" indicates that the products were processed in that Lexington, Kentucky facility. If you're scanning your peanut butter jars, you'll find the lot number under the "use by" date.

While there is a string of 13 numbers found in that spot, the only numbers you need to look at are the first seven digits — with "425" positioned as the fifth to eighth numbers respectively. The FDA also lists at least 40 different products, including 40-ounce jars of both Creamy and Crunchy Peanut Butter, jars of Jif's Natural Creamy Peanut Butter Honey, and Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter. Because these jars have a shelf life of two years, the FDA warns that Jif consumers should check all the jars they have at home. As stated above by the Jif representative, this recall does not impact other Smucker's products (via Today).

Food recalls might sound frightening, but they actually happen more frequently than you might think. On average, the FDA publishes several product recalls every month for a variety of reasons, which include the presence of undeclared allergens, the discovery of material that shouldn't be there (like metal fragments), or — as in this case — because there has been bacterial contamination.

If you do have any of the contaminated Jif products, don't attempt to eat them or brush off the warning. Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pains.