Contact:
SOPAKCO, Inc.
423-278-1437
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Mullins, SC (January 27, 2009)
-- SOPAKCO, Inc., of Mullins, South
Carolina, is voluntarily recalling certain Sure-Pak 12 Meals because peanut
butter packages in the Meals may have the potential to be contaminated with
Salmonella.
Salmonella isan organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal
infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened
immune systems. Healthy persons infected with
Salmonella often
experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal
pain. In rare circumstances, infection with
Salmonella can result
in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses
such as arterial infections (
i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis
and arthritis.
This recall follows the announcement of recent recalls by Peanut Corporation
of America (PCA) and Boca Grande Foods Inc. indicating peanut products from
PCA have the potential to be contaminated with
Salmonella. Boca
Grande Foods manufactured peanut butter with peanut paste from PCA, and supplied
sealed peanut butter packages to SOPAKCO. The Sure-Pak 12 Meals with
the lot numbers listed below contain 1 oz. or 2 oz. packages of peanut butter
recalled by Boca Grande Foods. The recalled Sure-Pak 12 Meals were sold
by SOPAKCO to distributors and costomers nationwide and several foreign countries. Some
of the Sure-Pak 12 Meals were sold at stores specializing in emergency preparedness
and camping gear and rations.
SOPAKCO is not aware of any reported illnesses involving Sure-Pak 12 Meals. However,
as a precautionary measure, SOPAKCO is recalling Sure-Pak 12 Meals with the
following lot numbers (located on the cases of product):
-
8261
-
8278
-
8285
-
8287
-
8294
-
8320
-
8322
-
8330
-
8350
-
8357
-
8358
-
9003
-
9012
Customers are asked to take all Sure-Pak 12 Meals manufactured with the lot
numbers listed above out of distribution immediately. This recall does
not affect any other products or lot numbers made by SOPAKCO.
Other
lots of Sure-Pak 12 Meals may contain peanut butter packages, including 1.12
oz. packages from Boca Grande Foods; however, peanut butter packages in those
Sure-Pak 12 Meals were obtained from sources which have not been linked to
any
Salmonella contamination.
Customers who received any products affected by this recall will be contacted
directly by a SOPAKCO customer service representative. Customers with
questions or concerns about the recall may contact SOPAKCO at 423-278-1437
for further information on what to do with the product.