The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the source of an outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg involving 14 cases in 12 states.  Illnesses commenced in mid-February 2022 extending through the beginning of May.

Some versions of Jif brand peanut butter, produced at a J. M. Smucker plant in Lexington, KY, were contaminated as confirmed by whole genome sequencing. Studies have shown that heating used during manufacture of peanut butter is frequently inadequate to destroy Salmonella.

This outbreak is reminiscent of the extensive national event in 2009 involving the Peanut Corporation of America.  The resulting outbreak comprised 714 confirmed cases requiring 171 hospitalizations with 9 fatalities. The Salmonella Typhimurium infection was attributed to deteriorated facilities and installations, mismanagement and deliberate falsification of records. Subsequent criminal cases resulted in extensive prison terms for the Parnell brothers, owners of the company and QC personnel who participated in fraudulent activities.

In the present case rapid identification of the outbreak through FoodNet, trace-back and application of whole genome sequencing identified the source and expedited a recall of potentially contaminated product.