In the last few months, nearly 700 people have been sickened with salmonella, a organism that can cause serious pcainfections in those with weakened immune systems, including young children, the elderly, or the sick. In some cases, salmonella can have fatal results.

Stores all over the country were forced to recall peanut butter products produced at the Peanut Corporation of America. In early February, a PCA plant located in Plainview, Texas was discovered to be afflicted with Salmonella Typhimurium. It is believed the contamination stemmed from dead rodents, rodent excrement, and bird feathers that were found in a crawl space above the production area of the company. In January, a PCA plant in Georgia was also found to have tested positive for salmonella. In the Georgia facility, mold, roaches, and a leaking roof were found by inspectors.

Sadly, it has been revealed that the company continued to ship products from both facilities, despite knowing the products had tested positive for salmonella. There is mounting evidence against PCA, including damaging information that indicates the president of the company, Stewart Parnell had the tainted products sent to the victims of recent disasters and poor schoolchildren. But many of the products made it to store shelves and more than 200 companies have since removed over 2.700 products due to contamination concerns. To date, this has been one of the largest food recalls in the nation.

The major peanut butter-related products including Skippy, Peter Pan, and Jif are not part of the present recall. But the list of tainted products that are on the recall list can now be found at the newly established website from the Food and Drug Administration, which outlines the list of recalled merchandise affected by the contamination of peanut butter at the PCA facilities.

One concern about the peanut butter recall surrounds the Girls Scouts of America organization and its annual cookie sale. Many of the products on the cookie sale list include peanut butter as a main ingredient but according to the bakers of the cookies, Little Brownie Bakers ensures that all Girl Scout Cookies are safe and the peanut butter used has not been affected by the recall.

The other products on the extensive list from the FDA’s website can be used to ascertain whether or not any products you currently have in your household have been affected by the recall. Salmonella can cause fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. In the more serious cases, it can lead to endocarditis, arthritis, and arterial infections. If you have any products on the list, it may be difficult to seemingly waste so much food but in this scenario, it is much better to ditch the bad foods than to suffer the consequences.