Food pantries impacted by Jif peanut butter recall

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Health officials are investigating a multi-state salmonella outbreak. It’s been linked to certain Jif peanut butter products made at the J.M. Smucker Company here in Lexington.

14 illnesses have been reported across 12 states. And the recall is also having a big impact on food pantries across Central Kentucky.

“When I got the first text I received about this, I thought, you’ve got to be kidding. You know, yes we’ve had COVID. Yes, we’ve had all these other things. But don’t, please dear God, don’t take our peanut butter away,” said Ginny Ramsey.

For those like Ginny Ramsey at the Catholic Action Center peanut butter is a big part of feeding people in need.

“So that’s the tragedy is if we’re going to have to cut out part of the donations is for it to be the protein part.”

And now Ramsey and her team have to go through 31,000 of donated food and toss all of the recalled Jif peanut butter.

“And they’re mixed in. It’s not like you’ve got a sack of peanut butter. Every bag is mixed. It could have green beans, peas, peanut butter.”

Ramsey said they always sort donated food before they send it out anyways. So it’s the 18,000 pounds that have already been sent to organizations, and others in the community, that’s now the main concern.

“It’s another little bump in the road. As we were saying, it’s just a strange kind of time. Everything seems out of balance to some degree. And just definitely when the peanut butter becomes an issue.”

So for now, Ramsey’s team will continue to sort through and toss whatever they have to.

According to the FDA, salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps.

Learn more about the recalled products at the link here.

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