Just a Reminder: Different Food Brands Often Made in Same Place

Unable to top yesterday's gross-out post from the WSJ Health Blog—which described mold and roach problems at a Georgia peanut plant implicated in the latest food-borne Salmonella outbreak—this blog can only remind readers that seemingly competitive food brands are often made in the same place. The moral of the story: Buy on the cheap.

Today's MMWR provides an early-release report of the latest Salmonella outbreak, which has sickened nearly 530 Americans in 43 states (and 1 poor Canadian); led to the hospitalization of 116; and possibly killed 8. Investigators traced the source of the outbreak to a peanut plant in the self-described "Peanut Capital of the World," Blakely, Georgia, which manufactured PB and peanut paste.* Brands specifically implicated are King Nut** creamy PB—sold in massive 5-pound containers to schools and nursing homes—and Austin and Keebler PB crackers.

All King Nut PB was produced by the family-owned Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia, plant, and the Austin and Keebler PB crackers were made at 1 unnamed plant, which received its peanut paste from PCA.

* The difference between peanut butter and peanut paste is lost on me.

** I'm king of the nut!

N.B.: As it turns out, Austin and Keebler are both Kellogg brands.

Photo of unnaturally orange PB crackers (which, up until now, I have loved unconditionally) from austinqualityfoods.com.