Peter Pan Syndrome

The CDC announced this week that a salmonella outbreak involving nearly 300 cases in 39 states since August has been linked to peanut butter. That’s right, peanut butter. The Food and Drug Administration said the affected jars are marketed either under “Peter Pan” or “Great Value” peanut butter and have a product code on the lid which begins with the numbers “2111″. ConAgra Foods, the maker of both kinds of peanut butter, is recalling all jars with the 2111 product code.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17155561/

Consumers everywhere should be outraged over this latest outbreak of salmonella. It’s one thing for spinach to be tainted. Nobody really cares about spinach (even if they say the do). Peanut butter though is one of the last pure expressions of Americana bounty. And I thought they had to roast those freaking peanuts. How did salmonella sneak in there??

And why does it take an internet article to find this out? When I swipe my stupid “shopper card” at the grocery store, what exactly are they doing with all that spending information they’re downloading? The grocery store people should know whether or not I bought a jar of that peanut butter and they should call to warn me. Or they should at least call my fictitious phone number- 555-1212 or send a “peanut butter postcard” to my fictitious address- 227 Studs Terkel Lane, Walla Walla, WA 90210.

You’re welcome.